Not One Of Us
by Misplaced Avatar
Summary: Zuko joins the gAang earning a few points of trust, except Katara, who's trust he cared about the most. His quest for her trust begins, but does earning her trust mean losing everybody else's? Pre-Comet.
1. Prologue

Epilogue:

It was never meant to happen. It was an accident. Though, some don't believe in accidents, or coincidences. Katara and Zuko. Yin and Yang. Water and Fire. Complete opposites, yet so much alike. Katara met Zuko when he first invaded her village looking for Aang. He had rage in those golden eyes that looked like melted fire. She ran from him all over the world, finally falling in the same place in Ba Sing Se. Feeling the red, burned scar under her fingertips made her feel something, the same feeling he got when he felt her. Every day, both of them wonder what would have happened if Aang and Iroh didn't make it to them. Every day, they thought of each other. Zuko wondered if he would be happy if the one he would hold in his arms everyday would be Katara instead of Mai. Katara wondered if she would feel like she belong if Zuko was with her. But in her eyes now, he was a cold hearted trader, leading her on just to drop her. Zuko didn't know this when he finally decided to teach the Avatar fire bending to overthrow his father. Finally, after an unsuccessful invasion, he followed Aang to the Western Air Temple. That's where our story begins.


	2. The Western Air Temple

**A/N: Yup, this is it, my first story here. I'm a little scared that you guys won't like it, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. This is basically my version of what happened at the Western Air Temple, before Azula's attack. K thanks!**

**DISCALIMER: I don't own ATLA, if I did, Zuko and Katara would've been Canon.**

Lowering down into the ancient temple on a rope, Zuko looked to see where he would land, his bushy, dark hair getting a little in the way. Finally he touched the gray stones that had held together the temple for so long, hiding from his ancestors in the century long war. He remembered standing in front of the Avatar Yangchen statue three years ago, right after his banishment.

_"What a stunning view." Uncle said, taking it in. Zuko scowled. _

_"The only view I'm interested in seeing is the Avatar in chains," he said angrily._

_Uncle saddened and took a step towards his nephew. "The Avatar hasn't been for 100 years, the chances of finding him are very slim," he tried to reason, but Zuko's mind was elsewhere, half listening to the wise old man. _

_"First, we'll check each of the air temples," he says, taking a few steps forward, looking around, "Then we'll scour the world, searching even the most remote locations until we find him." _

_Uncle sighed. "Prince Zuko, it's only been a week since your banishment, you should take some time to heal and rest."_

_"What else would I expect from the laziest man in the Fire Nation?!" Zuko snapped, walking past his reasonably calm uncle._

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing at the memory. Now he has no idea where his uncle is, but he still prays to Agni, hoping he's alright. Just then, a low growling sound made him perk up, reconizing the Avatar's air bison. Zuko hides behind a pillar, croutching down to avoid any unneeded, unwanted and unnessasary attention, but he ran into a problem with that: the earthbender can feel him here. Attempting to make it before the girl got off the bison, he ran up a flight of stairs to the clifftop. He ran until he was sure the girl couldn't feel him, then he set up a small camp to stay in for the night. He will talk to the Ava- Aang, tomorrow. What about? Teaching him firebending.

Katara rolled around in her sleeping bag trying to get confortable. How was Aang going to defeat the Fire Lord if he doesn't have a firebending teacher? That was the question at the moment. The only name that came to mind besides Jeong Jeong, was...him. The one who betrayed her in Ba Sing Se, the one who's been chasing her around the world for Aang, the one who she gave her trust to and nearly killed her, but worst of all, the Prince of the people who killed her mother. She stroked her fingers over her mother's necklace, feeling the smooth fabric of the pendant and the cool stone with the water tribe symbol on it. He had it with him at one point, and she was suprised it came back in perfect condition. Where did he keep it the entire time? _Why are you even thinking about him? _her concence scolded, _He had your trust and he lost it, you should be focusing on helping Aang, the one you really love. _Suddenly, she was arguing with herself.

_I don't love Aang._

_Yes you do._

_No, I don't!_

_If you don't, then why did you kiss him before the invasion?_

_He forced me._

_Fine, then who do you really love?_

_...I love..._

Her thoughts froze. Nothing made sense anymore. She grunted and burried her face in the pillow.

What happened next didn't feel like a dream, but she was certain it was.

Her mother stroked her hair as she tried to fall asleep. "Katara," she cooed, "sleep. You need it, something special is going to happen, and you need your sleep." Katara lifted her body, head last, to look at her mother again. Kya's blue eye's sparkled in the moonlight. Everything was so real. Katara smiled, adjusted herself so that her head was on her mother's lap, and unconcencly fell asleep to her mother stroking her face with her non-bending, natural, soothing hands.

**A/N: Okay, that's it for today, I'm working on a one-shot Zutara story. Thank you guys for following and all reviews are appreciated. If you have any questions or suggestions, those are highly appreciated. Chao!**


	3. Accepted

**A/N: Wassup? This is my second chaper and im very excited! Sorry my last chapter was so short, sudden writer's block .. Thank you everyone for those wonderful reviews, plz leave more, i love hearing from you guys! Sudden inspiration below!**

oO0Oo

"Aang! I think we need to make some plans about the future!" Sokka cries to Aang, who is clearly enjoying his time in a not-destroyed air temple, but who can blame him? His people had been wiped out and his home, The Southern Air Temple, had been partly destroyed with the remains of Monk Giyatzo. Giving in, Aang landed in front of him, still smiling brightly. "Okay, we can do that while I show you the giant Pai Sho table! Oh, you're gonna love the all-day echo chamber!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, Toph shifted her feet, clearly sensing something.

"I think that will have to wait," she mumbled softly but loud enough for them to hear. The gAang looked at her with puzzled looks on each of their faces. She points to a spot that Appa had just moved from, revealing someone seriously unexpected but not really surprising.

"Hello, Zuko here," he waved.

Everyone looked at him with shocked and cold eyes. Especially Katara. She was hoping to never think of him again, now he's right in front of her looking like he didn't notice her annoyed/angry look. He continued his little speech.

"I know you must be suprised seeing me here..."

"Not really, since you followed us all around the world!" Sokka piped up, interupting him.

"Right...well, uh... I heard you guys land and I really wanted to talk about helping the Avatar."

That's when Katara spoke up. "Help him? With what? Hoping you could capture him? We know you, Zuko, and we're not trusting you again!"

Zuko had a feeling she really meant herself when she said "we," which sent a stab of pain to his heart. "Look, do you think I would be here after three months of being home just to earn myself back? Yes, my father found out that Aang was still alive and banished me again, but do you really think I would go back after facing that monster of a father?!" he raised his voice slightly with every word, but trying to keep his voice and temper in check. "I learned I can decide my own destiny, and I can help you achieve yours by teaching you firebending," he said softly to Aang, "I know I you, and I'm truly sorry for everything I did to do so," at this, he looked at Katara, "but I realized recently, after all these mistakes I've made, I can make everything right by helping you."

Zuko's speech was over. Toph was clearly thinking, the water tribe siblings glared at Zuko each with their own reason of hatred, but Aang, innocent Aang that always finds the good in people when Katara's too busy to do it herself, starts thinking about what happened when he firebended for the first time, he burned Katara. The young monkfinally made a decision.

"I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara. And after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love," he bows to Zuko, "I'd like you to teach me."

Zuko let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. "Thank you, I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group," he sighs, but his tension returns after Aang holds up a finger.

"Not so fast, I still have to ask my friends to see if it's okay with them," Aang said, turning to face the three people who will be Zuko's judges.

Toph went first. "Go ahead, at least our search for a firebending teacher is almost over, I really don't feel like traveling anytime soon," she sighs, flopping to the ground to prove her point.

Sokka next. He seemed hesitant at first, but finally, he shrugs off whatever held him back, "hey, all I want is to defeat The Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it."

Zuko was so relieved, but the last judge, the person who decided his fate glared at him with icy blue eyes, threatening to freeze him like she did in the North. Realizing who it was, he began to sweat a little from nervousness. Finally, Katara took a deep breath and looked at Aang. "I'll go along with whatever _you_ think is right," she told him.

Zuko's eyes changed from a worried ember-color to it's normal firey gold, except they seemed a bit more excited. "I won't let you down, I promise," he swears, but everyone walks away, looking for the rest of the group to let them know who just joined.

0oOo0

Later, before dusk fell, the sky was still painted with light, soft colors of purple, red, gold, pink, orange and yellow. I would've been an amazing sight Katara would've enjoyed, but instead, she was in her room, fiddling with the vial that once held water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, but was now an empty reminder of the fall of Ba Sing Se, and a symbol that shows how much she trusts Zuko, a fancy empty bottle that once held something unexplainable. Suddenly she hears her brother show Zuko his new room. _I'll make sure he knows_, she thinks to herself.

Zuko put his knapsack on his temporary bed and takes out a small portrait of his uncle. Sighing, he puts it back in, keeping it safe and so he won't forget it in case he needs to retreat his room and he only has time to take the sack. He sits on the bed and sighs again, but suddenly he senses someone. He turns his head quickly to find Katara leaning on the doorframe. He smiles and gets up to speak, about what? He didn't know, maybe to thank her for letting him in? But she speaks first, her words filled with so much venom it dripped.

"You might have everyone else here buying your... '_transformation'._ But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past." She walks up to Zuko and leans forward threateningly, "So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang... and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends right then and there... _permanently._"

Katara walks out of the room, feeling his eyes on her back. That was a moment she wished this place had a door to slam. She started heading toward her room when she was stopped by a petite but serious voice of the young, blind earthbender leaning against a pillar. "You didn't have to go so hard on Sparky."

"He deserves it. I don't want Aang to get hurt."

"Look Miss Protective, Sparky isn't going to hurt Captain Arrow Head. Everything he told us earlier, everything he said, was genuine."

"Good, maybe he knows I'm not lying either."

"...When he said he was sorry for hurting us, genuine. I know he was looking at you, and I know what happened..."

"What are you talking about?"

Toph turned around to leave to her own room, but she snapped one more remark. "I'm starting to wonder who's really the blind one around here."

Katara took out the vial of the North. Zuko flopped on his bed. She held the vial to her heart. His hand unconciously touched his left eye. Both sets of eyes closed, spilling tears from their hiding place.

"Are you blind to my feelings, or do you just like hurting me?" they ask each other, unknowingly.

oO0Oo

**A/N: Yup, no Conbustion Man attack, but don't worry, he'll show up soon. Sorry this chapter was a lot like the end of "The Western Air Temple," but that's the point, this is my [Zutara] version of the events from the invasion to the comet. The entire story will be separated by parts, this is just part I. Other parts names under consideration. PLZ REVIEW!**


	4. Truth or Dare?

**A/N: Uh...yeah...I didn't know how to really do the rest of this, but... I guess...yeah...here you go! I apologise in advance, its not my best work.**

oO0Oo

Aang and Zuko gracefully showed off their new firebending tecniques to the gAang. Aang was now officially a firebender, the rare kind that knew the real meaning of firebending. He beamed proudly during the demonstration. Both he and Zuko got a firebending lesson from the last two original firebenders, Ran and Shao, the last of the dragons. Aang was nearly ready to face the Fire Lord! "With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable!" he beamed as he and Zuko concluded their demonstration, bowing respectfully as the group applauded.

Sokka saw this as an oppertunity to crack a joke and get back at Zuko for everything he did, by embarrasing him at least a little. "Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there" he laughed.

Zuko got defensive for his ancient masters and took a threatening step towards Sokka, but the water tribe warrior didn't budge. "It's not a dance! It's a firebending form!"

Sokka didn't stop there. He put his hand up and made his middle and index finger walk along the air. "We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord."

Zuko walked toward's him, a serious look on his face telling him to back off. "It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

Katara saw what Sokka was doing and played along. "Oh yeah? What's your little form called?" she snapped.

Zuko embarassly blushed at her remark and frowned with his words. "The...Dancing Dragons," he said it as if the words were sharp, hurting his throat and voice as he said them. The group laughed at Katara's point. Zuko tried so hard to keep his temper in check, but he shrugged his anger off. "Alright I'm starving, what's for dinner?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Yeah Katara, what's for dinner?" Sokka practically drooled.

Katara calmed her laughter and stood up. "Well, it's a bit too early for dinner, so I'm just going to prepare a quick supper. Aang, come and show off your firebending skills?" she asked, starting to walk off, looking past her shoulder to see if the airbender, newly found firebender. Aang jogged over to her, eager to show off his new skills, especially to her. Zuko tried not to show his dissappointment by excusing himself to wash up while the food was preparing.

_oOTwo Hours LaterOo_

Everyone finished their dinner, now they were just sitting around a fire that lit up the evening, trying to come up with games. Suddenly, Toph's light gray eyes lit up and you could practically hear the little lightbulb in her head click. "Let's play truth or dare!" she exclaimed.

"What's that?" Sokka asked with a mouthful of leftover noodles.

"It's this game the rich spoiled brats my parents wanted me to play with made up. We ask each other either 'truth or dare,' if the response is 'truth,' then we ask them a question and they have to answer truthfully, but if they say 'dare,' they are supposed to do whatever the person says, it's really fun!" she said almost breathlessly, her vacant, grey eyes filled with excitement.

Everyone hesitated, but agreed.

After they decided who will go first, Aang looked around the circle, looking for what Toph called a "victim."

"Er...Teo, truth or dare?"

"Dare," replied Teo without hesitation.

"Okay...I dare you to...ride down that tunnel to the hall of statues without using your breaks until you're all the way down."

Teo smirked at this challange and rode his wheelchair down to the tunnel, when he left, Toph suggested to keep playing until he comes back, probably because it was her turn.

"Alright, who should I pick..." she put her hand on the ground and shifted it around, feeling everyone around her, then she nudged her elbow to Zuko's ribs, since he was sitting right next to her, "Sparky, truth or dare?"

Oh Dear Agni.

"Uh...dare"

"I dare you to...KISS KATARA!"

At the sound of her name, both Zuko and Katara's faces drained of all colors. They both started to protest when Toph held her hand up, smiling brightly and happily, clearly satisfied. She grabbed both of their arms and pointed her head towards Zuko, "No buts hothead, you have to kiss Sugar Queen here."

Toph pushed Katara so her face was only inches from Zuko. Everyone around them held their breath.

_You can't do this! _his mind screamed. _She already hates you enough, you don't need her complaining that you didn't respect her._

At last minute, Zuko kissed her, but he only kissed her cheek. She was as suprised as he was with his action. "She didn't say on the lips," he said, shrugging and scooting back to his spot.

Katara and the rest of the group let out their breath, except for Toph, who was pouting next to Zuko.

Just then, Teo's squeaky wheel's tore the silence in the temple. He didn't look injured, but he had a hand on his head (which was still bandaged from his last slide down the tunnel.)

"Hey guys, what I miss?" he asked, smiling weakly.

"Nothing," grunted Toph, still highly annoyed of Zuko's loophole, "nothing at all."

0OoO0

**A/N: FINALLY AN UPDATE! I was meaning to post this on Valentine's day, but I was busy. So I'm watching Sozin's Comet part 3! Zuko gets shot by lightning to protect Katara :'). I promise I'll update more often. Stay beautiful!**

**-zutarianbelieber**


	5. The Boiling Rock

**A/N: This part is what happened right after the last chapter, hope you like it!**

oO0Oo

Katara's face finally turned from a bright red to her normal tanned skin, but she can still feel Zuko's "kiss" still lingering on her cheek. It made her feel warm, and it wasn't just the fire dancing in front of her. Zuko, meanwhile, was fixing tea for everyone, who were mentally and/or physically exhausted from Toph's game. It was somewhat quiet, so Zuko decided to be...er..."amusing," he would say.

**"**No one can make tea like Uncle, but hopefully I learned a thing or two. Would you like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?" he asked.

Katara shrugged. "Sure."

Aang smiled. "I like jokes."

Toph followed. "Bring it."

Zuko seemed pleased while he was passing out the tea. "Okay." He brought tea to Haru and The Duke. "Well, I don't remember how it starts, but the punch line is, 'leaf me alone, I'm bushed.'" He looked around the puzzled faces of the group and hoped that his face wasn't turning pink. "Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it."

Katara giggled silently. "Right, maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing," she smiled, taking a cup from the tray. Everyone laughed at her joke instead of his, and yet he smiled. He liked it when she laughed. _Oh Agni did I really just think that?!_ He mentally slapped himself.

He stood up and went over to Toph and Teo. "It's nice to relax a little," Toph started. "Thanks to Sparky, we don't have to spend all this time looking for a firebending teacher." She then leaned her back againts Teo's legs, which were on the wheelchair. "Do you mind?" she asked almost too innocent than the group was used to. "No it's fine," he commented, and Toph was pleased with the racing heartbeats of both Teo and Aang.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Sokka asked Zuko once he came for his tea.

"Sure."

They walked off into the darkness. Katara was slightly suspicious, but she trusted her brother would take care of himself.

0OoO0

First to wake up. That doesn't happen everyday.

"Sokka? Sokka?" Katara calls. _That's weird_, she thinks, _Sokka is almost always the first one to breakfast_.

"Hey Katara," yawned a young voice. Aang rubbed his eyes sleepily with Toph at his side.

"Hi guys, have you seen Sokka or Zuko lately?" she asked.

"No, but there's a note here," piped another younger voice. The Duke was feeding Appa hay, so he was too busy to pick up the note (on Appa's arm) that he was pointing to. Katara retrived it instead.

"What's it say?" Toph asked.

Katara read it aloud-

_Need meat, gone fishing. Back in a few days. _

_Sokka and Zuko_

_One more thing: Aang,_ _practice your firebending while I'm gone. Do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time you hear a badger frog croak.-Zuko. _

As if on cue, a badger frog croaked in the distance.

Aang groaned. "Nobody else has homework," he mumbled, getting up and starting his sets.

oO0Oo

Zuko and Sokka awkwardly stay in silence. The war balloon was taking them to the boiling rock to rescue Sokka's father. They started taking about their family and the war balloon. Somehow it lead to Sokka asking, "You didn't leave behind anyone you cared about?"

Zuko thought about it. Not his father, not his sister, his uncle escaped...

"I did have a girlfriend. Mai."

Sokka sat straight in suprise. "That gloomy girl who sighs alot?!"

"Yeah..." Zuko grinned, but for some reason, the girl who came to mind wasn't the girl he was talking about. "But...I'm starting to like someone else. I'm sure Mai sees me as a traitor, like everyone else does."

"We don't think of you as a traitor."

Zuko gave him a "think about it" look. Sokka's realization hit him. "Look, Katara will warm up to you eventually. Give her time, that's all girls need."

Zuko looked suprised. "Wow Sokka, how do you know this?"

Sokka leaned back and gulped. "My first girlfriend turned into the moon..."

Zuko looked up. "That's rough buddy."

Sokka thought about what he meant by "Someone Else."

_Could he mean...?_

**NAH!**

oO0Oo

**A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews, I love hearing from you! Hope you like the sneak peek for part 2! I'm so excited! All my best ideas are on that part. Any questions? Just leave them below. Part 3 is called ZAYA, so look out for that. BYE FOR NOW!**_  
_


	6. Thank You

**A/N: This might be one of my worst chapters. I was cut short because my train of thought crashed into the math wall. Okay, forgive me! Next is "The Southern Raiders," so I'm super excited for that because I've seen so many oppertunities to put in it. Combustion Man attack after that, then Sozin's Comet, then this part will come to a close. PLEASE BEAR WITH ME THIS IS NOT MY BEST CHAPTER! **

0oOo0

_"The truth is, I guess I don't know you. All I get is a letter? You could've at least looked me in the eye when you ripped my heart out," Mai complained. Zuko looked at her apologetically._

_"Mai, I didn't mean to-"_

_"Didn't mean to?!" she pulled the scroll open and read it outloud._

_Dear Mai-_

_I'm sorry you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving..._

_"STOP!" Zuko yelled harshly, "This isn't about you, this is about the Fire Nation!"_

_"Thanks Zuko, that makes me feel all better," she said saracastically, throwing the dreaded letter to it's author's head. Zuko rubbed the spot it hit him and snarled at his (ex?)girlfriend. He stood up, softening his tone._

_"Mai, I never wanted to hurt you, but I have to do this for my country."_

_"For your country?!" okay, now she was mad, "You're betraying your country!"_

_Zuko closed his eyes for a moment. "That's not how I see it."_

_Mai pouted and crossed her arms, looking away from the stranger she once knew as her boyfriend._

_o8o_

_The soldier came in and told Mai he had come to protect her. She said she didn't need protection. Zuko chuckled and agreed. The soldier claimed it was orders from her uncle, the Warden. Zuko took the chance and firebended near the guards feet. He darted past the guard, who put himself in front of Mai. She shoved the guard off of her and ran to the door Zuko escaped from, but he closed and locked the door before she could escape herself. Her amber eyes met his golden ones before he shut them and ran off to find Sokka._

_o8o_

"...she was the one who saved us from the gondolas being cut," Zuko concluded.

"You mean that dark girl with the knives?" Chit Sang asked curiously. He was one of the prisoners who helped escape the boiling rock, so they decided to bring him along.

"Yup, that's her," Zuko leaned against the walls of the airship they stole from Azula, who happened to be at the prison, and sighed. "I'm just not sure if she was the one for me honestly, but I guess it was nice of her to risk her life like that," he admitted.

Chit Sang looked at him with uncertainy. "She seems like an awesome girl, why won't you think she's good for you? I mean, you two clearly have history,"

"I've known her since I was little,"

"Then why won't you give her another chance?"

Zuko looked at his shoes, thinking about the pale, skilled girl with the almond-shaped amber eyes, then he thought of the tanned, beautiful waterbender with the cerulean irises. A smirk shadowed his lips, thinking of that one girl, the one that he despised at first, but then changed his heart once her fingertips brushed his burned eye, almost as if that one gesture unlocked his heart.

"It's someone else, isn't it?"

Chit Sang's rough, tough voice brought Zuko out of his thoughts, replacing it with the red color of embarassment to his face, but that didn't stop him from grinning like a goof. "Yeah..."

The former prisoner put a hand on the banished prince's shoulder. "Look, that Mai girl didn't seem to work out for you, how is this other girl different?"

Zuko knew the answer to that, simple. "She has feelings."

oO0Oo

Finally, the airship landed. Katara, Aang, and Toph stood to the side where the door was, relieved to see Sokka and Zuko step out.

"What is this thing? What happened to the war balloon?" Katara asked with a hint of worry in her tone.

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "It kind of got destroyed."

Aang smiled as if it was a joke. "Sounds like a crazy fishing trip."

Toph won't accept it. "So did you get any meat?!"

"I did," Sokka closes his eyes "The best meat of all," he opens his eyes "The meat of friendship and fatherhood."

That has to be one of the most serious sentances Sokka has ever said.

Just then, from behind them, Suki, Hakota and Chit Sang got out of the zepplin. They were all thankfully busted out unharmed from the Fire Nation prison and the crew seemed suprised to see them. Chit Sang spoke up so there was no confusion. "I'm new here...What's up everybody?"

Katara seemed to ignore him and first noticed her father. "Dad..." she whispered, teary-eyed, running to embrace her father.

"Hi Katara," he whispered to her, holding her in his arms, not willing to let go of his little girl again.

Katara broke away from him and excitedly turned to her brother. "What happened?! Where did you guys go?!"

Sokka shrugged with Zuko smiling behind him. "We sorta went to a Fire Nation prison." Katara grabbed her brother and pulled him into the embrace with her father. Zuko smiled to himself and watched the reunited family get lost in their own world.

_Too bad I'll never have a family like that._

"Seriously, you guys didn't find any meat?" Toph complained, breaking the silence.

0oOo0

Everyone in the gAang who were still awake were helping the newly-freed members set up for the night, which shouldn't be too hard. Zuko was getting a fresh sleeping bag that had recently been washed and dried for Chit Sang to sleep in when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he found Katara with her arms behind her back, looking a bit shy. "Hey, what's up?" he asked, turning to face her completely. Katara looked down for a second, unsure of what to say next.

"Um...I wanted to thank you for...helping my brother get my dad out," she said quietly.

"Oh, it was really no problem, I was just happy to help out."

"Well, thanks for that." She stood there, looking at him for a second, then she walked up to him, closing the gap between them, and wrapped her arms around his torso. Zuko dropped the sleeping bag and returned the embrace warmly, placing his chin on her head. "Thank you so much," she whispered. She broke away from him and picked up the sleeping bag. "I'm not saying I completely forgive you for Ba Sing Se," Zuko winced slightly when she said that, "but thank you for getting my dad back." With that she walked away.

_Spirits! What does it take to get that girl to forgive!?_

oO0Oo

**A/N: NOT MY BEST OKAY?! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'm going to write about the Southern Raiders next, so if you'll just let me go, I'll just go get started on that. *runs away* **


	7. The Southern Raiders Part 1

**A/N: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! THE SOUTHERN RAIDERS! MY FAVE EPISODE EVER! This is gonna be a really long chapter, so I'm gonna have to separate it into 2 parts. Anyways, yes, Suki, Hakota, Chit Sang, etc. join them around the fire, and anyway, I had to give Katara an excuse for reacting the way she did w/o Combustion Man or Azula. Enjoy 3**

oO0Oo

Since it was such a beautiful night, everyone decided to get out of the Air Temple for a while and spend the night on the clifftop. Katara has been in a bad mood all day because she accidentally broke the empty vial from the north pole, sending her memories. Since that morning, she has been rude to almost everyone, but everyone else were happy with the oppertunity to see the stars again, sitting around a campfire, and just joke around.

"Wow, camping, it really does feel like old times, doesn't it?" Aang said gleefully, taking a seat next to Katara.

"If you really want it to feel like old times I could, uh...chase you around a while and try to capture you," Zuko joked, eating a biscuit. Everyone in the group laughed, well, if you count laughing saracastically and coldly, then Katara laughed too.

Sokka raised his cup to give a toast. "To Zuko, who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, he ended up here with us." Suki, Toph, Aang and the whole crew raised their glasses to Zuko. Toph and Aang nudged him with their shoulders playfully.

Zuko smiled. "I'm touched. I don't deserve this."

Katara looked at him coldy. "Yeah, no kidding." She got up and started walking towards the cliffside where it was dark.

"What's with her?" Sokka asked.

"I wish I knew," Zuko replied. He followed Katara to the darkness of the cliff, leaving the rest of the gAang (especially Sokka) wondering if something was wrong between them. Zuko stayed a respectful distance until she noticed him. When she did, she wasn't happy to see him. She stepsided, trying to get away from him as much as possible. "This isn't fair," he started, knowing exactly why she's mad, "everyone else seems to trust me now, what is it with you?!"

Katara snapped her head around to see him, wanting to see his reaction, "oh, everyone trusts you now?! I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO TRUST YOU, REMEMBER? Back in Ba Sing Se," her voice cracked slightly, and she prayed he didn't notice, "and then you turned around and betrayed me! Betrayed all of us!" she added that last part last second, enjoying his guilty look.

Looking at her straight in the eye, Zuko dared to ask, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

Katara walked closer, "You really wanna know? Hmm... maybe you can reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King, or I know! YOU CAN BRING MY MOTHER BACK!" She hit his shoulder with hers, leaving him with a pained expression on his face.

_I have to know what happened to her._

0oOo0

After an...er..."interesting" encounter with Sokka, he explained to Zuko what he knows what happened to his mother. Well enough, Sokka remembers the sea raven flags on the main ship. _The Symbol Of The Southern Raiders_.

Zuko sat on a rock the whole night, waiting for daybreak. Even though the rock and the night was cold and uncomfortable, he figured this was worth it. The next thing he knows, he wakes up to movement in from of him. It was Katara, frowning upon him. "You look terrible," she snapped.

He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "I waited out here all night."

"What do you want?" she asked, combing her hair, facing away from him.

"I know who killed your mother," she stopped her combing when he said that, "and I'm going to help you find him."

Katara turned to him with a shocked to serious look on her face.

_He's Serious..._

oO0Oo

Aang was feeding Appa hay when he heard Katara behind him. "I need to borrow Appa," she said. He turned to face her and saw Zuko behind her holding a pack over his shoulder.

"Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?" Aang asked jokingly.

"Yes, it is."

Katara's serious tone made him realize this was no joke. He turned to her, giving a pathetic "Oh." He worked up the courage to ask what was going on.

"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," she snapped. Sokka looked up from his flower-necklace making to get up on the commotion just as Zuko explained where all this was coming from.

"Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it, and I know how to find him."

Aang still wasn't convinced, "Um...and what exactly do you think this is going to accomplish?"

Katara shook her head and sighed, "I knew you wouldn't understand." She begins to walk away when the young monk spoke up.

"Wait, stop, I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"

Zuko spoke up in Katara's defense. "She needs this Aang, this is about getting closure and justice."

"I don't think so. I think this is about getting revenge."

Katara spoke, her tone filled to the brim with fustration. "FINE! Maybe this is what this is about! Maybe that's what I need...Maybe that's what he deserves."

"Katara...you sound like Jet..." Aang began. That REALLY set Katara off.

"This isn't the same! Jet attacked the innocent! This man...h-he's a monster!"

Sokka came and stepped in for Aang's defence. "Katara, she was my mother too, but I think Aang might be right." Katara pointed a sharp look at her brother.

"Then you didn't love her the way I did," she muttered.

"Katara...!"

Nobody said a word for about a second. Within that second, Katara quickly regreted what she said, but didn't let it show. Aang decided it was time to show some wisdom from the monks. "The monks used to say revenge is like a two-headed rat-viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself."

"That's cute," Zuko says with just a dash of sarcasm, "but this isn't air temple pre-school, It's the real world."

"Now that I know that he's out there," Katara half-whispers, "now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice..."

And here comes Aang again with the words of wisdom. "But you do have a choice... Forgiveness."

Zuko came in again. "That's the same as doing nothing!"

"No it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive."

"It's not just hard," Katara's voice was as dark as her expression, "it's impossible." She walks off with a scowl, Zuko following behind her. They both grabbed their rolled up tents and started heading towards the stairs to the temple. Katara couldn't help but notice a map in Zuko's hand. "We're still going, aren't we?"

"Of course."

0OoO0

That evening, Zuko and Katara were preparing their packs to head out, Appa staying close. Katara was tying her hair when she heard Aang's voice. "So you were just going to take Appa anyway?!"

She didn't move, but she acknowladged his existance. "Yes."

"That's okay, because I forgive you...That give you any ideas?" he asked hopefully.

Katara finally turned to him and Sokka, who was next to him, and scowled. "Don't try to stop us."

"I wasn't planning to, this is a trip you need to take, you need to face this man." Katara nodded in thanks and Zuko helped her up to the bison's head as Aang continued his preaching, "but when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out...then let it go. Forgive him."

"Okay, we'll be sure to do that, guru-goody-goody" said Zuko, slightly annoyed by all this "forgiveness". It was getting old and on his nerves.

"Thanks for understanding Aang," Katara said from on top of Appa. "Yip yip!"

Appa took off from the temple as Sokka and Aang watched Team Revenge take off. (**A/N: Whattaya think? *cricket sound* okay I get it.**)

Sokka walked up to Aang, still not taking his eyes off the dissappearing bison. "Y'know, you're pretty wise for a kid."

"Thanks Sokka."

"Usually it's annoying but right now I'm just impressed!"

"I appreciate that."

"So, can I borrow Momo for a week?"

Aang whipped his head to Sokka, "Why do you need Momo?!"

Sokka just shrugged.

oO0Oo

After flying for a few hours, Katara and Zuko finally got to the communication tower. Using her waterbending, Katara got Zuko and herself to the tower on board an ice raft. They steered clear of the guards and stayed in some air ducts. When they reached the room with all the information, they stayed behind the air duct grates because there was a guard writing a letter. Katara waterbended the ink out of it's dish, staining the letter and the guard's hands. The guard left the room to wash her stained hands and get fresh paper an ink. Once she left, Katara and Zuko stealthily slipped out of the duct and reached for their prefered scroll. Zuko found it and pulled it out, laying it across the self.

"Okay, Southern Raiders...THERE," he says, pointing to a flag on the map, "Off the coast of Whale Tail Island." He turned to Katara, who furrowed her brow in determination.

"Whale Tail Island, here we come."

**To Be Continued...**

0oOo0

**A/N: YES! FINALLY DONE! What do you think? I really have to go, it's 11:00 pm on a Monday and I have a test tomorrow, Don't you just love history? Anyway, next, chapter, we'll see some Zutara, I promise!**

**PLZ REVIEW!**


	8. The Southern Raiders Part 2

**A/N: Okay I get it. You guys hated the last chapter, but trust me, this one is better. It has some Zutara in it and it's original, so not too much canon. Thanks for all the reviews!**

oO0Oo

They got back to Appa as swiftly and silently as they came. There was one moment of panic when an alarm went off while they were still in the vents, but it turns out it was a false alarm (or was it?)

Zuko offered to drive Appa, but Katara refused. After a few seconds of silent arguing, Zuko finally let her lead. He stayed in the saddle and tried not to sleep but failed miserably. After a few hours, he woke up and still saw her on the bison's head. This wasn't healthy for her, she needed some rest.

"You should get some rest. We'll be there in a few hours. You'll need all your strength." Katara looked at him with dark circles under her equally dark eyes.

"Don't worry about my strength, I have plenty," she turned back to the sky, "I'm not the same helpless little girl I was when they came." She remembers every little detail.

_Her small figure running past panicked people._

_Running into the tent to find a soldier with her mother._

_Kaya sending her off, telling her everything is fine._

_Getting her father to the tent._

_Seeing her mother's burned, lifeless body in her very home._

"...this necklace is all I have left of her..." Katara concludes the story of her memory. Sokka didn't tell Zuko everything that happened, but hearing it from a girl he cares about, it was painful to hear.

"You're mother was a brave woman," he offers.

Katara brushed against the cool stone of the water tribe bethrotal necklace. "I know..."

Zuko decided he wanted her to rest, to just momentarily forget about that moment. He leaned as far as he can against the saddle and poked her shoulder. She whipped around and Zuko told her to land Appa for a second. Annoyed, she did as she was told. Once the bison's feet touched the ground, Zuko lept over the saddle to his head.

Katara was half conscious, so she wasn't exactly aware that he picked her up and placed her gently on the saddle. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, watching her smile (not exactly smile, more like a slight twitch on the corners of her lips, but hey, it was something!) and drift off into her slumber. He smiled too, and took the reins, signaling the bison to take off.

o808o

Katara woke up a few hours later. He heard her. But instead of saying something, he heard her sigh and go back to sleep.

08o80

"THERE! See those sea-raven flags?"

Zuko tossed his telescope over his shoulder and Katara caught it. Through it, she can see only one ship with the unmistakable, hard-to-miss red flags waving above it. "It's the Southern Raiders." Katara took the telescope off her face, ready.

"Let's do this!"

oO0Oo

Aboard the ship (after waterwhiping the crew on the deck to the ocean) Zuko and Katara were ready for anything. She had her water sleeves and he had his defences on, which came in handy when that soldier tried to attack them, but was stopped by Zuko's sharp reflexes. Now he's in the storage room, blocked out by his own weapon. Katara nodded to Zuko in thanks.

Finally, they reached his door. Sealed tight in metal.

"This is it, Katara, are you ready to face him?"

Katara didn't reply. Instead, she did a quick motion and screamed, waterbending her sleeves to open the door.

The captain's door immediately burst open. Zuko jumped in front of Katara, deflecting the firebending the captain threw at her.

"Who are you?!" The captain demands.

"You mean you don't remember her?!" Zuko yelled harshly, nodding his head toward Katara, "You will soon, TRUST ME." He firebends at the captain, who equally delfects his move. He was about to attack Zuko, but suddenly his arm stretched out, moving here and there, shaking uncontrollably.

"What's...happening...?!"

Katara brought her arms down in her bloodbending stance, bringing the captain down with them. Zuko's golden eyes shined with astonishment, but he narrowed them and turned back to the captain. "Think back!" he demanded, "Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe!"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT" the captain yelled in a strained voice.

0OoO0

"It wasn't him..."

Katara got back to Appa, repeating those dreaded words that she couldn't stop saying, like a horrible song on repeat, but you can't stop playing it. Zuko's arrival was a little delayed, mostly because he was determined to find out who really killed Katara's mother.

_He shoved the captain's face to the window. "IF YOU'RE NOT THE MAN WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHO IS?!" he yelled,_

_"You must be looking for Yon Rha! He retired four years ago!" the captain pleaded. Zuko pushed him to the ground and asked him a simple question._

_"Where is Yon Rha?"_

Katara had heard him get the information out of the coward of a leader, so when Zuko hopped onto the bison, she started leading Appa not to the Air Temple, but to the Fire Nation.

oO0Oo

"Zuko...?"

"Yeah?"

"If you could find the person who killed your mother, what would you do to them?"

"..."

"Zuko?"

"What do you expect?"

"I honestly don't know."

"I would probably kill them..."

"..."

"Katara, are you okay?"

"I'm fine..."

"Please don't cry, you're going to find him, and you'll bring him to justice."

"..."

"...and I'll be right there with you."

0oOo0

They landed on a coastal Fire Nation Island. The Southern Raiders told them this is where Yon Rha lived. The sky was starting to getting dark with gray, water-filled clouds. Katara jumped off Appa with Zuko shortly following. They snuck around a little until they found an old man walking towards the market.

Katara's eyes lit up.

She gestured Zuko to follow her to an abandoned booth in the market. They ducked down behind the counter as they watched the man order some soft and juicy fruit. He felt someone watching him and turned around to see if there was, but no one was there (as far as he knows). He started walking towards his home when he had the feeling returned. He called out a little, but still didn't find anyone, therefore he continued walking. Katara and Zuko lifted their heads up from their hiding place, Katara finally close enough to get a brief but good look at him.

"That was him," she whispered menancingly, her eyes shining with hate, "that was the monster."

She knew him right away. She'll never forget his eyes, his scary, ancient, deep brown eyes that haunted her thoughts whenever she thought of her mother. Rain suddenly began to fall from the sky. The feel of her element dripping on her made her feel good. Powerful, even.

Yon Rha was almost home when the feeling returned. That was it. Enough was enough. He dropped his groceries. "Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned!" he yelled, firebending the spot where he thought his stalker(s) was/were hiding. When the bush (the suspected hiding spot) caught on fire, Yon Rha picked up his fruit, looked back once, and continued walking, only to trip over something and fall. As he was trying to get up, fire appears so close to him he practically jumps back. Before him, a young man, maybe 17 or 18, dressed entirely in black, including a scarf covering his mouth and nose, his raven-black bushy wet hair sticking to his pale face, which had a red scar covering his entire left eye, making him seem more frightening, was in a firebending stance.

"We, weren't behind the bush," he said calmly.

_We?_

He changed his stance, threatening the former captain. "And I wouldn't suggest firebending again," he warned. Yon Rha held an arm over his face to shield himself, shaking with fear.

"Whoever you are, take my money, take whatever you want, I'll cooperate!" he pleaded. Just then, a girl, maybe a few years younger than the boy, possibly his girlfriend, walked up to the boy. She was wearing exactly the same outfit as him, except with blue in the places where he wore red. She pulled down her scarf, revealing her entire face.

"_Do you know who I am_" she asked darkly. Yon Rha tried his best, but he couldn't reconize her.

"No...I'm not sure."

"Oh, you better remember like _YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!_ Because it does..." she said, "Why don't you take a closer look..."

Yon Rha took a good look at this girl. Chocolate colored hair in loops held by blue beads. Crystal-clear blue eyes. Tanned, smooth skin. He knew where he'd seen her. The Southern Water tribe. Her voice...her eyes...her hair...her skin...that's where he knew her.

_Mom, I'm scared..._

"Yes...I remember you now...you're the little water tribe girl...the daughter of the last waterbender that I killed." Realizing what he said, he gulped his words.

"She wasn't a waterbender, she lied to you," she turned away, sadly closing her eyes, 'she was protecting the last waterbender."

"What...?! Who?!" Yoh Rha asked.

The girl's piercing blue eyes gave him a glare, then suddenly she screamed.

"ME!"

Proving herself, she waterbended the rain, making every little drop stop in midair. The rain collected, making a huge dome over the three. The girl swirled her arms slowly, then jerked them to her foe, making the gigantic stream of water into ice spikes. Yon Rha shielded his body, preparing for impact, but it never came. Looking up, he saw the ice spikes frozen in air.

Katara relaxed her stance as the ice changes to water and falls with a splash. Yon Rha kneeled before her, looking down at her shoes. "I did a bad thing! I know I did! And you deserve revenge, so why don't you take my mother? That would be fair!" he pleaded.

_This man is disgusting. Why would he suggest such a thing? _Katara put the pieces together and came to a conclusion. "I always wonder what kind of person could do such a thing. But now that I see you, I think I understand," she walks forward, "there's just nothing inside you. Nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty!"

"Please spare me!" Yon Rha sobbed.

"But as much as I hate you...I just can't do it!"

Zuko walked up to Katara and just looked at her as she turned to head back to Appa. Zuko couldn't see well through the rain, but he was sure he saw him half-smile through his weeping, but instead of doing anything, he followed Katara back.

O0o0O

Zuko and Katara reached the bison, but just as she reached Appa, she suddenly stopped.

"Katara, are you okay?" Zuko asked, still behind her. She said nothing, but her body visibly tensed and trembled. He walked up until he was right behind her. "I know how hard it was to face him, and I know you must be really upset, but-"

Katara whipped around and clutched his shirt, sobbing uncontrollably.

For a quick moment, Zuko didn't do anything except stand there in shock, but as if they had a mind of their own, his arms held the crying girl, one hand stroking her hair confortingly.

They stayed like that in the rain until it ceased.

o0O0o

"Katara! Are you okay?" Aang asked, running to her.

They returned to the air temple recently and Katara didn't say a word to anyone. All she did was head straight to the nearest stream to sit and just dip her feet in her element.

The element that cost her mother's life.

"I'm doing fine," she replied plainly, still facing the stream.

Aang rubbed the back of his neck awkardly, "Zuko told me what you did, or what you didn't to, I guess...I'm proud of you."

Katara shut her eyes tight. "I wanted to do it," she muttered through gritted teeth, "I just wanted to end it then and there, but...I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or if it's because I'm strong enough not to."

"You did the right thing," Aang assured her, "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."

_Forgiveness forgiveness forgiveness...! That's not what I did!_ she metally yelled. She stood up from the stream and eyed Aang annoyed. "But I don't forgive him! I'll never forgive him," she finalized. She noticed Zuko behind Aang and smiled at him, "but I am ready to forgive you."

She walked up to the firebender and just stared at him for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. Zuko held her close, closing his eyes. They stayed like that until she pulled away, keeping her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

Zuko's face failed to turn the blush down.

Katara walked past him to the air temple. Aang smiled and followed while Zuko stayed where he was.

_Finally..._

o080o

**A/N: TEEHEE ZUKO! Yup, that's that. Thanks for the patience, and reviews, I appreciate every single one of them. The next chapter is completely going to be my own and I plan to post it on March 20th...MY 14th BIRTHDAY! So, see you guys next chapter!**

**Quick Shoutout: Hey instagram followers! Yes, I'm shouting you out! Love you guys!**


	9. Combustion Destruction

**A/N: Get ready for the return of someone we've all been waiting for! *dun dun dun!* Okay, so I am officially 14 years old (I planned to post this on the special day, so I guess I'm like a week late, hehe) and I wanna thank River WolfGirl and NiNi for the birthday wishes :). Now to the good stuff. Hope you like it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own A:TLA. But wouldn't it be killer if I did?!**

oO0Oo

"C'mon Princey! You can run faster! C'mon!"

Zuko groaned as he sped up his pace with a certain blind Earthbender on his back. Yesterday, during a sparring match, Zuko accidentally burned Toph's feet, preventing her to see. Katara was out getting supplies at the time and wasn't able to heal her until she got back an hour later. Toph said Zuko can make it up to her by giving her a piggybank ride whenever she wanted while her feet healed. He didn't like it that much, but his thoughts froze as he caught the sight of a blue-eyed bender.

Ever since Katara found Yon Rha, courtesy of Zuko, she's been warming up to him. That was about a week ago and she officially forgave him and, even though she won't admit it out loud, maybe she was starting to have a crush on Zuko. Toph was the only one who knew this, mostly because she can feel their heart rate, y'know, before her feet were burned. Compared to Zuko's heart right now, (she can feel his heart because it was just right there) she was she knew Katara was around.

Katara caught Zuko's gaze and blushed slightly, smiling back to him. Toph smirked. This was the perfect to mess with Princey and his Sugar Queen.

"So...is Katara around?" she asked innocently. Zuko tore his gaze from Katara to look at the girl on his back questionly.

"Uh...yeah...how did you know that?"

"Sparky, I can feel your heart, and it's going a thousand paces a minute, you can't deny it, Lover Boy!" she yelled his new nickname loud enough for Katara to hear. Both of the girls giggled at Zuko's embarrased reaction. First his face turned as red as his nation, then he put Toph down on a rock and started blabbing about not having any idea what she was talking about. During her scolding, Toph just smirked and half listened, waiting for him to finish his useless blabbing.

Once he finished his speech of uselessness, Toph got up on her rock, said she was done messing with him, then when he turned around, she jumped on his back, yelling, "FOR NARNIA!"

0oOo0

That evening, everyone was eating around the fire, calmly talking about Toph's "Battle to Narnia."

"What is Narnia anyway?" asked Aang.

"Ugh...you know what? The last time I tried to show you guys a really fun 'rich people' game, (note Toph's air quotes around "rich people") you knuckleheads ended up getting hurt and/or emotionally wounded. I'd rather not expain it."

After that, everyone started talking about their hypothesis for "Narnia."

oO0Oo

Later on, after everyone finished with dinner, Katara was cleaning (well, more waterbending) the last of the dishes when she heard footsteps approach her.

"Hey Katara..." She looked back to see where the voice came from.

"Oh, hey Zuko."

Zuko stayed a few paces behind her, seeming really nervous. Katara was nonchalant, but she still felt her heart beating very fast.

"Need any help with the dishes?"

"Oh, no thank you. I'm just about done."

"Oh, ok."

Silence. Katara knew that wasn't the only thing he wanted. The silence lasted for a few seconds when he spoke again. "So...I was wondering...if...uh..." Zuko studdered. Katara turned around to face him, a few more dishes to wash left. Zuko seemed unsure of how to say whatever it was he needed to say, but Katara already figured it out. "You know what...nevermind," he finally concluded. He was starting to walk off, mentally beating himself up when the waterbender spoke.

"Yes."

Zuko turned back. "Huh?"

"Yes, Zuko, I will go out with you. Meet me here in ten minutes, then we'll go up on the clifftop, okay?"

"Oh, uh, okay. Meet you here in ten."

Zuko turned to leave and get ready.

The two benders didn't notice each other blushing.

0OoO0

Katara awoke in her bed, feeling like she was in the best mood ever. The night before was amazing, although nothing serious. Zuko brought his blanket, so they layed there, gazing up at the stars, figuring out constelations. They talked about their life, their mothers, and how they became the person they were. Katara had to admit, she felt awful for the prince. Just a misunderstood teenager instead of the heartless monster she once saw him as. But all that is the past. This is the future.

She will definitaley go out with him again.

And no. There was no kiss to gush about. Though He had wrapped his arms around her when she got a bit emotional about her mother. His strong arms around her made her feel warm and secure.

Katara was still blushing at the memory as her mind told her body to get up, but refused. She just wanted to stay in bed and remeber last night.

But if she did that, she won't see Zuko.

Eek! Her blush is back!

0oOo0

Everyone around them was oblivious to Zuko and Katara's stolen glances. For the first time, Katara was grateful Toph couldn't feel anything, or else she'll be getting a headache from all the teasing and-

"KATARA!"

Speak of the angel...

"What is it, Toph?" Katara said through grit teeth. She could've sworn she heard Zuko and Sokka snickering.

"You promised me another healing session for my feet. They're starting to hurt a little again," Toph whined like a little kid.

"Alright, alright," Katara sighed, "Aang, do you think you can carry Toph to the fountain for her session?"

"Aye aye, Captn'!" Aang saluted.

"Zuko, can you get me a towel for Toph?"

"On it."

Aang lifted Toph to the fountain and made her feet dip neatly into the cool, soothing water of the fountain. She sighed in pleasure as the irritaion of her burn half-melted away. Katara bended a small amount of water from the fountain and began Toph's session.

From a different point of view, a third eye was watching the Fire Prince approach the group.

oO0Oo

BAM!

A beam of energy crushed a pillar above the fountain, almost crushing the gAang. They all backed away, Toph being carried by Sokka, and hid behind a piece of fallen rubble.

"Sokka! Aang! Get Toph out of here, then come back and help us!" Katara demanded. "Zuko, we-"

He wasn't there.

They started to panic a bit when they heard Zuko's voice from the other side of their hiding place. "STOP! I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore!" Everyone stood where they were, suprised at his words. They looked past the rock to see who it was, and when they did, they gasped.

"Combustion Man," Sokka whispered.

Now even Toph was freaking out. Zuko, however, was still trying to get to the third-eyed bender. "The mission is off! I'm ordering you to stop!" Combustion Man still shot at the temple, not listening to Zuko. "If you keep attacking, I won't pay you!"

His responce was a beam straight to him, which he barely dodged.

"Okay, I'll pay you double! JUST STOP!"

Another beam failed to catch the prince as he fought back. Katara and Aang came out of their hiding places to help him, sending ice shards, air blasts and rock bullets to the iron man, but nothing seemed to work!

"We can't bend at him without getting blown up!" Katara screamed over the roaring of destruction as she took Aang and Zuko back to Sokka and Toph. "We can't get an angle at him!"

Sokka was thinking about it when an idea popped into mind. "I know how to get an angle on him!" He reached behind his back and grabbed his boomerang, took it out, and started to plan the path of it, hoping to hit the tattoo of the weird man. Preped and ready, he pulled his boomerang back, whispering, "alright buddy, don't fail me now." He launched his trusted sidekick to their foe. It hit Combustion Man's third eye perfectly. The iron man fell back, half-conconcious.

Let's just say, Sokka says he puts the "boom" in boomerang.

"YEAH! BOOMERANG!" Sokka celebrated, catching his favored weapon as it came back. But the celebration was cut short when the third-eyed freak got back up, his hand on his extra eye. "Aw...boomerang!"

He ran back to the group, still hiding behind the rubble. They all watched as the eye started to spark, then BOOM!

Combustion Man was no more.

0OoO0

Haru and Toph were helping rebuild the destroyed parts of the temple while Sokka, Katara and Aang were talking to Zuko about what he said to Combustion Man.

"Why did you send combustion man after us?" Sokka asked, a hint of irrritance in his voice.

"Well, that's not his name, but..." Zuko began.

"Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to offend your friend!" Sokka interrupted.

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph added, yelling from the far side of the temple.

"Look, I sent that guy back when I was in the Fire Nation! I didn't know he was still out here. I know it was stupid to send him in the first place, but now I see my mistake and I'm sorry!" Zuko wasn't looking at Sokka, who was just a little to his right side, he was looking straight at Katara, who looked at him with disappointed eyes.

"I knew we shouldnt've trusted you in the first place. I needed a firebending teacher and you seemed like the only one eligable because it seemed like you were the only one worthy. But it seems like I was wrong. You aren't worthy at all!" Aang yelled next to Sokka.

Katara stayed quiet.

"Please, forgive me! I'm sorry for him and you know I changed. Please..." Zuko pleaded, staring straight at the girl.

Inside, Katara was battling with herself. She did want to forgive him and just move on, but now that she sees what he had done, she can't come to forgive him again. He'd taken her trust and crushed it.

Just like Jet.

She uncorked her waterskin so quickly, it was only noticed that she waterbended a wave toward him, knocking him off him feet. She stared at him darkly as he proped up on his elbows. "You need to get out of here. Now."

Zuko hung his head and got up to leave. He'd finally earned her trust, the one thing he worked the hardest to get, harder than his honor...

Now even that was gone.

0oOo0

**A/N: I know. Just as the Zutaraness was starting to rise...BOOM! I destroy it. OMB I'm tired. And poor Zuko! I know, I'm a bad person :'(. Don't worry, he'll be back, or else this won't be a good Zutara fanfic. Until next time, I'm zutarianbelieber, signing out!**


	10. Azula and the Air Temple

**A/N: Okay, here's another update! I barely started about a week after my last update and i felt a little late so I am back. Thanks again for all the late birthday wishes. Anyway, moving onto the next chapter!**

0OoO0

It's been a week and a half since Zuko left.

Katara didn't speak for the first few days, her head buzzing with mixed emotions and thoughts, and now if she does speak, she tries to keep the subject away from Zuko.

Toph helped a little, yelling, "SHEESH KATARA IT'S BEEN [Insert Time Here] NOW, LET IT GO!"

Today the gAang decided to actually start thinking about what to do to defeat the Fire Lord and what their plan was now that Aang didn't have a firebending master anymore. Katara joined in, deciding maybe they'll only mention him once or twice.

"I don't think there's any way I can defeat the Fire Lord before the comet, so why don't we start by deciding to defeat him after the comet passes?" Aang suggested.

Sokka rubbed his chin, thinking, "actually Aang, that isn't a terrible idea. Maybe by then you'll find another master, then we'll decide when to attack."

Toph was lying on the ground, arms crossed behind her head, and she held up a hand to indicate she's going to speak, "but what if we never find a master? Zuko was the only one who was willing to teach Aang, now what do we do? Postpone our attacks until we are ready?"

Sokka and Aang looked over at Katara when Toph said "his" name. She winced a bit, but she acted as if Toph hadn't mentioned him at all. "I don't have any other options. The best thing to do now is wait until Aang is ready, or else we'll be at a great risk of not making it."

Sokka stood up from where he was sitting, next to Aang, and held up a fist. "All in favor of Aang's idea, say 'flying kick-a-pow!' "

His speech was followed by his yelp as he was Earthbended to the air.

When he fell back down, they all looked over to Toph, who had an irritated look on her face. "You can't pay me to say that, meat-for-brains!"

0oOo0

Zuko walked back to his little camp site and plopped his knapsack to the ground. A couple of apples and lychee nuts stumbled out of the opening. He lied back under his tent and covered his eyes with his hands and grunted in fustration. It's been a week and a half! Why can't he get her out of his head! Every time he thought about her, he remembers her eyes, the way they were the last time she saw him. They looked at him as if he had broken something very dear to her. Did they look like that when she realized he took her necklace that one time? He didn't notice it.

Suddenly, the sound of a deep croak made him look up. Sure enough, there was a badgerfrog just outside his tent, sitting peacefully on a nearby fallen tree trunk. Zuko got up and walked over to the animal and tried to shoo it away, but was ignored.

"Look, I don't need the sound of your croak bothering me right now. I have other things on my mind."

_Croak._

"Why don't you go away! Just go!"

_Croak._

"No, they didn't send me away like this! They treated me worse."

_Croak._

"She did, okay?! Why can't I go and make one mistake without it costing me something important!"

_Croak._

"No, I don't! I guess its just a crush! I barely realized how I felt about her, and I wouldn't say it's that yet!"

_Croak._

"Oh what do you know? Just leave, please?"

The badgerfrog jumped on his head and hopped away. Zuko dropped to his knees and punched the ground.

"It isn't that yet," he repeated.

Just then, there was a familiar and uncomfortable buzzing of an airship above his head. He looked up and saw something that made him feel a little sick.

Azula's airship was just above his head. He can tell it's hers by the golden markings on the front. Royalty ship. Zuko stared at it for a moment and looked in the direction it was headed. It was to the Air Temple! He ran back to his tent, gathered up his things quickly, and ran to the cliff.

All he could do now is hope he makes it in time.

oO0Oo

Aang, Toph, Sokka and Katara were sitting around, making preperations for their new plans and discussing how it would affect their current plans. Aang got up and decided to take a small break, taking in the beautiful scenery of the temple. Suddenly, a medium-sized container flew out of somewhere below the temple.

On instinct, Aang whipped out his glider and airbended the strange object, causing it to explode. Everyone in the temple was alerted from the explosion.

Fire nation air ships emerged from the clouds, sending more bombs and cannonballs, destroying the temple. Aang retreated to the main area where the rest of the group was and whipped his staff, airbending protective doors to close. The temple was coming apart, debris flying everywhere. The ceiling above cracked and crumbled. Katara looked up and saw it herself, rubble falling to her head. Frozen in fear and shock, she tried to move, but couldn't. She waited for impact-

When suddenly whe was knocked off her feet.

She felt someone gripping her waist as she and the person who saved her rolled away from impact. The secure grip was somewhat familiar. She looked up and realized why.

"Zuko...!" she gasped.

Zuko got off of her and helped her up. He whispered an apology and ran over to Aang. He helped Aang grab Appa and started heading toward a tunnel Haru and Toph had bended at the back of the area. Zuko let go of Appa, telling Aang to open the doors. Without question, Aang did as he was told.

"What are you doing?!" Aang finally asked (still gripping Appa, I should mention) when he realized Zuko wasn't coming with them.

"Go ahead, I'll hold them off," he replied, staring darkly at the airships, "I think this is a family visit."

"Zuko, no!"

Sokka and Katara gripped Appa's reins as well, leading him toward the tunnel, as Sokka yelled they didn't have time.

Zuko starts to firebend most of the bombs and cannonballs before they can create more damage on the anciet temple. Almost as if on cue, Azula's ship appeared out of the smoke and dust with her proudly perched on the front railings, smirking evily.

"What are you doing here?!" Zuko demanded.

"You mean it's not obvious yet?! I'm about to be celebrate becoming an ONLY CHILD!" she yelled, half in hysteria, as she flipped over the railings and firebended her brother. Zuko luckily dodged out of the way, but was blasted against a pillar from impact. Groaning in pain, he noticed the area crumbling, a pillar falling towards Azula's ship. Ignoring his aches, she started running at full speed towards the pillar. Jumping high, he lifted himself off the pillar, firebending at his crazy sister, who deflected his moves. Unfortunately, Zuko wasn't able to land. Trying unsuccessfully to grab the side of one of the ships, Azula watched her brother dissappear under the clouds, a hand uselessly streached out to reach her.

Aang, Sokka and Katara tried to pull Appa into the tunnel, but the giant bison refused to budge, and when it's three of you vs. an 8,000 lbs. bison, you kind of have a disadvantage.

"I can't get him to go in there! Appa hates tunnels!" Aang finally decided, still tugging the reins.

"Aang, there is no way we can fly out of here!" Katara countered, still pulling as well.

Aang finally lets go, taking little time to think. "We have to find a way!"

Sokka made a decision instead, "we need to split up." He headed back towards the rest of the group at the mouth of the tunnel, and sent a demand to Hakota, "take the stolen and get to the stolen airship!"

Katara looked hesitant, then yelled a rejection, "the Fire Nation can't separate our family again!" she yelled, running over to her father, who put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay, it's not forever," he softly told her. Katara shut her eyes for a moment, then hugged her father breifly before heading toward Appa. Sokka grabbed Suki's hand and followed Katara, letting the rest of the group go to the ship. Toph slammed her hand on the rock wall, feeling for the right way to go. Once she was satisfied, she ran towards her friends.

"I can clear that way and we can fly outta here!" she said as she earthbended herself onto Appa.

"Um... there's a lot of fire in that general direction," Suki gently protested as rocks begin to fall from the walls. Aang jumps on Appa's head, gripping the reins.

"We'll make it through."

Just before they took off, Aang and Toph earthbended a mask on Appa so he can deflect Azula's powerful bending.

They made the right choice. Azula's fire was felt through the rock, but it was bearable to the bison, who bravely passed the princess without hesitation.

As Azula watched the bison fly away with a smirk, she heard one of her own airships fly behind her. Turning around, Azula and the gAang found Zuko, standing dramatically on the airship. He started running full speed to Azula's ship. Azula starts firebending at him and he does the same, landing a bit roughly on the ship. Dogding, kicking and punching, the siblings battled viciously as Aang turned Appa around toward their battle site of an airship. Just in time too. Azula punched a blue-flared hand to her brother just as he was doing the same with his own orange flames. On contact, a huge explosion erupted, sending them both tumbling off.

Zuko saw the air bison and reached out his arm. Katara grabbed him and pulled him onto the saddle. They watched the princess tumble in the air.

"She's...not gonna make it," whispered Zuko.

After the words escaped his lips, Azula kicked out, firebending her way to the cliffside. Pulling out her dagger, she stabbed the side, stopping her fall.

"Of course she did."

The last thing the gAang saw of the temple was Azula's deadly, signature smirk.

o0O0o

Zuko shifted uncomfortably on the rock he was sitting on as the gAang stared at him, half in disbelief, half in anger.

He couldn't even look at Katara.

"I'd never thought I'd say this, but...thanks Zuko," Aang said, almost smiling.

"Look, I'm really sorry about sending that assasin after you," Zuko replied apologetically, "I didn't remember he was on that mission when I decided to join you. All I want now is to help you end this war and bring peace back to my nation. I've seen the effect on the other nations that my nation caused. I guess us Fire nation citizens have destructive blood. But I want to change that."

Everyone stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, they still didn't say anything. Awkward silence fell upon them.

Then, Toph had it. "Okay, either he joins or not! I vote he does! You know why? Because I'm tired of traveling everywhere that leads us nowhere! And yet here we are, in a clearing, with nowhere to go!" she exploded. She was right. Currently, they were at a ledge of another cliff with big surrounding boulders and grass everythere.

"We can stay at my father's summer home in Ember Island. We will be safe there until Aang goes to overthrow him," Zuko suggested.

"Thank you! There!" Toph said, jerking out a hand for emphasis, "now we either accept him and his summer home, or we stay here with nowhere to go...AGAIN!"

After long debate, Zuko was finally accepted again.

They camped in the clearing overnight and decided to head to Ember Island the next morning.

At the campfire, Katara tried to keep her blush down as Zuko sat next to her, brushing his hand over hers.

0oOo0

**A/N: DEAR AGNI THIS WAS A CHORE TO WRITE! Okay, I know the pace is going a bit too fast, but I'm just an amature writer, please give me a break. **

**VOTING TIME!**

**Question 1:**

**Should I write a bonus scene of their "long debate" to accept Zuko?**

**Question 2:**

**Should I write another Zutara story where they grow up with each other while I'm still writing this?**

**I'm counting on your answers! Love you guys!**


	11. The Ember Island Players

**A/N: I admit. The last chapter SUCKED! I'm a lazy writer, I'm so sorry. Anyway, recent update here! I started writing the kid!Zutara story, but it hasn't been published quite yet. The poll from last chapter didn't get enough results, so I'm still waiting on that. Enjoy this update (which is extremely long)!**

**DISCLAIMER: Michael and Bryan said I can have the show when pigs fly. Maybe I can get a White Flying Boar from Toph...**

o0O0o

A month later.

Aang and Zuko were practicing more firebending stances on the courtyard of Zuko's Ember Island summer home. Katara and Toph were watching under the nice shade of the open corridors. After an intense practice, the two firebenders bowed to each other respectfully and Zuko headed towards the fountain for his towel.

"Don't you think it's kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own home?" Katara asked, rolling her head, bored.

"I told you," Zuko spoke up, rubbing the towel behind his neck, "my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy," he put the towel down and hung his head, "and that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to find us."

Then, Sokka and Suki ran up to them, Sokka with a rolled up poster in his hand. "You guys will not believe this! There's a play about us," he said, almost smugly.

"We were just in town when we found this poster!" Suki said as Sokka rolled out the poster dramatically.

Sure enough, the poster had a boy in center resembling Aang, a girl resembling Katara on the left and a boy like Sokka (only a bit more..."buff") on the right with Zuko's eyes on the back, his scar on the wrong side. The description was below the picture with the picture of the playwrite on the side.

"What? how is this possible?" Katara said, astonished.

"Listen to this," Sokka started reading the poster, " 'The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.' "

" 'Brought to you by the critically animated Ember Island Players.' " Suki added.

Zuko groaned loudly, slouching in his seat, "my mother used to take us to see them. They butchered 'Love Amongst the Dragons' every year! They aren't very accurate," he said disgusted.

Katara looked at her brother, "Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea to be attending a play about ourselves?"

"Are you kidding?!" Sokka exclaimed, "a day at the theatre? This is just the kind of whacky, time-wasting non-sense I've been missing!" he grinned widely.

After a short debate, Sokka won out.

0OoO0

Intermission.

BEST. DAMN. PART. OF. THE. DAMN. PLAY!

Everyone sat outside of the theatre box, in which Toph called the "nosebleed section," ranting about their characters and playwrite potrayals. Almost everyone was angry with their characters. Katara was a preachy crybaby who can't help but give speeches of hope all the time, Sokka only jokes about meat, (and bad ones, note that) poor Aang is portrayed as a girl, and Zuko's character has the scar on the wrong side! Suki was decent and Toph hasn't showed up just yet. And maybe Toph wouldn't mind her character, considering they're sitting in a higher box

"Look, friends, I know it must hurt, but everything you see on that stage is the truth," she said knowingly.

Zuko tapped his chin for a moment, "Lo and Li, Azula's mentors, once told us that Ember Island gives everyone a clean sleet, a fresh start. Maybe the play will help us realize something about ourselves," he said.

"Right, and I thought the play was crazy," Sokka shot, going back inside the theatre box, followed by Suki. Soon, everyone else came in as well, same seating as the last time, which was Toph on the right, next to Katara, next to Zuko, next to Aang, with Sokka and Suki in the row behind them.

The play began again in Toph's home village, Gaoling, and the "gAang" is just standing around as the curtain goes up.

"Well, we're finally here in the Earth Kingdom," the Katara actress said in her womanly voice.

"I better look around and see if I can find an earthbending teacher," the Aang actress added in her squeaky, upbeat voice as she popped out a mini-glider and hung by a rope to "fly" over the audience in the floor section.

"This is it!" Toph exclaimed excitedly, "this must be when I come in!"

Actress Aang landed neatly on her feet, "I flew all over town, but I couldn't find a single earthbending master," she whined.

"Here it comes...!" Toph was near breathless.

In Toph's perspective, all she heard was a rumble and a buff voice yell, "you can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground!"

_Wait...is that supposed to be..._

She felt something paper-light fall to the ground in front of Zuko and her friends snickering, but payed no attention to it. She leaned a little over the railing to hear better.

"Who are you?" a whiny voice asked.

The same person spit before speaking, "my name's Toph, cuz it sounds like 'tough,' and that's just what I am!" the he-she bellowed.

Toph cleaned her ear, unsure if she heard right, "Wait a minute...I sound like...a guy! A really buff guy!"

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth, hurts doesn't it?" Katara teased, hoping that Toph would understand how they felt.

But she didn't notice her grinning ear-to-ear. "Are you kidding?!" she yelled in a whispered, "I wouldnt've cast it any other way!" she giggled before continuing, "at least it's not a flying bald lady!"

Aang shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unhappy with Toph's remark.

"So...you're blind?" actress aang says, waving a hand over the actor Toph's eyes.

He laughed deeply, "I can see you do that," actress Aang flinched, "I see everything you see, except I don't 'see' the way you do. I release a sonic-wave through my mouth."

When he breathed in, everyone knew this wasn't gonna be good.

He screamed extremely loud in the actors' faces. Everyone in the theater, maybe even some nearby citizens (except Toph, of course) cringed at the sonic boom of a yell, some covered their ears to block off the awful sound!

"There," he said after he stopped, "I got a pretty good look at you." Everyone applauded.

The play continued, and it seemed to mock the gAang. Zuko and his uncle splitting up after Zuko's new hairstyle, them meeting up with Azula and losing her, finding her again, drilling the wall of Ba Sing Se, Jet's death in Lake Laogai (well, it was really unclear) and one of the most confusing one: Zuko and Katara in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive," actress Katara started.

"You don't have to make fun of me," actor Zuko spat, turning away from her on the rock he was sitting on.

"But I mean it," actress Katara countered, sitting next to him, "I had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

Actor Zuko got closer to her while the real Zuko and Katara shifted away from each other awkwardly. Aang was a bit irritated and jealous just seeing this.

_Everything you see up on that stage is the truth._

"Wait! I thought you were the Avatar's girl!" actor Zuko realized loudly, getting up from his seat. Aang nodded in pride. That pride fell as actress Katara laughed.

"The Avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me," the actress laughed, getting up to stand next to him, "I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way!"

Aang's face fell.

"Besides, how can he ever find out about this?" she said dreamily, hugging the actor, who smiled.

Aang couldn't take it anymore. He got up and walked out of the box. "Oh, you're getting up? Can you bring me some fire flakes?" Sokka whispered after him, putting an arm around Suki...then continued his request, "ooh! and fire gummies!" he added.

Meanwhile, Katara and Zuko alike couldn't stop blushing. That was one moment in their life where they felt something different about each other. The one moment that felt unconditional. It could've started something they both knew they wanted.

Now they'll never know what could happen if it did turn out that way.

The play went on. It showed Zuko choosing his side to Azula (when this part happened, Katara put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly), Mai and Ty Lee (who were...interesting), and Aang's death, I think...?

"Azula" had just bellowed that the Avatar was killed. The gAang seemed offended, especially Zuko, who seriously didn't want to be reminded of that day.

8o8

Another intermission came by and the gAang was grateful for the sweer breaks from the humiliation and reminding.

The only ones left in the hall of their theatre box was Toph and Zuko. Sokka and Suki went off to find the actor Sokka to give him some more appropriate jokes and Katara went to find Aang.

Zuko told Toph that she didn't get that every single mistake he made was shoved right back in his face, especially betraying his uncle, while her character was just as awesome as she was (that's how Toph took it), but she reassured him that his uncle would be proud that he found his way and did the good thing.

After just a moment of comfort, a little kid dressed as Aang came up to the prince, saying "your Zuko costume is pretty good, but your scar's on the wrong side!" and with that, he "flew" away.

Oh. No. He. Didn't.

"THE SCAR'S NOT ON THE WRONG SIDE!" Zuko yelled after him, pulling his hood back over his face while Toph laughed. "Would you stop?" he almost pleaded, "after the good assurance, you laugh at my face again?"

"Sorry scarface!" she said between giggles, "I can't help myself sometimes!"

Zuko groaned. "I'm going to find Aang and Katara, the intermission is almost over," he sulked while getting up, still hearing Toph's muffled giggles.

Zuko walked on, trying to find the outside Katara meant when she said she was going to look for the little airbender.

"-what you said in there," he heard a voice say. No doubt it was Aang.

"In where? What are you talking about?" Katara.

This seems like a bit of a private conversation between the two and Zuko knows he shouldn't be eavesdropping like this, but he stopped and continued to listen, unable to help his curiosity.

"On stage! When you said I was just like a brother to you and you didn't have feelings for me."

The kid was clearly hurt. Typical pre-teen.

"I didn't say that, and actor did."

"But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were gonna be together, but we're not."

_They kissed? _Zuko thought, shocked at the fact, but not at all suprised, _of course they did. I'm willing to bet that once Aang defeats my father, Katara will be his. Almost like a reward. Typical. Boy likes girl. Boy saves world. They fall in love...Agni, I hate love scrolls!_

"Aang...I don't know."

"Why don't you know?!"

"Because we're in the middle of a war and we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time."

"Well, when is the right time?!"

"...Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little confused."

Silence stilled time for a moment, then the unmistakable sound of a kiss reached the firebender's ears. His face and heart fell with jealousy, but then leaped when Katara annoyingly said, "I just said I was confused!"

She was clearly unhappy with that kiss.

"I'm going inside," she sighed. That was Zuko's cue to try to stay out of view. He walked back a few steps, acting as if he had just arrived and didn't hear anything. When Katara opened the curtains, he spoke up, "hey...uh...the intermission is, uh, almost over," he stuttered. Katara looked to him, sadness still lingering in her eyes.

"Okay, let's go."

She walked beside him, then began to lean into his shoulder. "What are you doing?" he whispered, grateful that it was too dark to see his blush. She simply shrugged. When she didn't move after a few paces, he gave in and gingerly wrapped an arm around her waist. She smiled sweetly.

o8o

The play ended badly.

Aang returned from his brief sulking just in time to see the failed invasion and a prediction of the day of the comet.

Zuko had to go up against Azula, who, after a quick battle, burned the actor to a crisp as he yelled something about his honor (it's acting, so not literally). The wherabouts of the gAang were unknown as the actress Aang tip-toed on stage to face a highly decorated Ozai. The battle didn't last more than a minute as the Fire Lord "summoned" a ribbon of "fire" on stage, wrapping the actress. She fell with a defeated, "NOOOOOOOOOOooooooo..."

The rest of the play was a blur. The only thing known is that the Fire Lord defeated Aang and took over the world, just as Sozin, Azulon and Ozai wanted.

The audience cheered loudly, but the gAang just sat there, still unable to believe what the doodle just happened.

Ember Island is a weird place.

8o8

**A/N: DONE! Dear Agni, it's done! I'm sorry it took forever. I had togo to the hospital the other night and wasn't able to write. Don't worry, I'm fine.**

**Zutara fluff! YAY!**

**We're nearing the end! Get ready!**

**Also, check out my newest Hunger Games fanfic PLEASE!**

**Love you!**

**-zutarianbelieber**


	12. AUTHOR'S NOTE: PLEASE READ

**THIS IS AN AUTHOR'S NOTE TO BE DELETED LATER:**

**Okay, someone just PM-ed me and asked if I'm ditching this story, and I'm not. I'm taking all my free time writing and editing the last final chapters because I want them to be PERFECT! So I'm wrapping it all up and I'm tying the bow on it. It might come out on May 6th, so watch out.**

**LOVE YOU FIRE LILIES!**

**-zutarianbelieber**

**P.S. Did anyone else notice that Zuko and Katara held hands in the Ember Island Players as Zuko was sitting down next to her?! *fangirl squeal* XD!**


	13. Sozin's Comet Part I

**A/N: All to say is: hold on to your socks, cuz they will be knocked off.**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING.**

O0o0O

The gAang walked into a seedy old building in the Earth Kingdom, filled with criminals and drunks...mainly drunks.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the group was present. Aang was nowhere to be found.

Zuko had told the gAang they can't change their plans. Ozai was going to use the power of Sozin's comet to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground. So after a motivational speech from Sokka (I know, suprising, right?!) they were all ready to prepare for the final battle to end the century-long war!

But after "Fire Nation Attack Practice," Aang couldn't even damage a statue of the Fire Lord. While his friends broke stone soldiers and dodged flaming rocks (courtesy of Toph, aka "Melon Lord," you know, they shouldnt've given her actual fire to use) Aang resisted.

That night during dinner, Aang raged on how none of them understand. He can't take a life. Being an airbending monk, he was taught that all life is precious, down to the delicate spider-fly. After that, he disappeared overnight.

Zuko, who everyone said had expirience with finding the Avatar, led all of them to the awful bar to seek help by one person-

"June."

They found her drinking tea while fighting off men. Literally. She put a man in a headlock with her legs! Without spilling a drop of her tea!

"Hey, I remember her!" Sokka exclaimed, "she helped you attack us!"

"Yup, those were the good days," Zuko smirked, walking over to her.

"How is she going to help us exactly?" Suki whispered to Zuko.

"She had a shirshu, a creature that can track down Aang," he replied.

Despite his new hairstyle, June reconized Zuko immediately. "Well well, if it isn't Prince Pouty," her voice scratched, "where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my uncle, and he's not here," he replied, a tiny bit of regret in his tone. June looked over to his left side and saw a girl walked up and stand next to him. June smirked, reconizing her.

"I see you worked things out with your girlfriend,"

Both Zuko and Katara blushed a deep crimson and protested simultaniously, and June just laughed, claiming she was teasing, and cut straight to buisness, asking what they wanted.

"I need your help finding the Avatar, June," Zuko said annoyed.

"Huh, again? Doesn't sound like fun," June said in a monotone voice.

Zuko slapped his hands on the table in front of her, but she didn't even flinch. "DOES THE END OF THE WORLD SOUND MORE FUN?!"

June smirked at his temper and held up her hand, "back up Princey. I don't want your girlfriend to get jealous."

o0O0o

"Nyla..."

June waved a thick slice of meat at her shirshu. The eyeless creature sniffed the air and ran over to June, swallowing the meat whole. June rubbed the top of the animal's head lovingly, patting her softly. That is until Nyla shot out her poisonous, paralyzing tongue out, barely missing June, who snapped Nyla's mouth shut.

"Careful there! Okay, whose got something with the Avatar's scent on it?" She gestured towards the group.

"I have Aang's staff," Katara jumped from Appa's saddle with the staff in her hand. June took it and gave it to Nyla. After a few moments of sniffing around, Nyla rubbed her nose uncomfortably.

"What does that mean?" Zuko asked.

"You're friend's gone."

"We know he's gone. That why we came to you, lady!" Toph retorted.

If anyone knew June, they knew she wasn't going to take that like nothing, but for some reason, June didn't snap back. Instead, she patted the shirshu's head carefully, "No, I mean he's really gone. He doesn't exist."

Oo0oO

The gAang rested in front of the destroyed walls of Ba Sing Se. June wasn't able to find Aang, but she was able to find Zuko's uncle Iroh, the other person who can possibly defeat Ozai. The night was deep and late, so they decided to stay outside the walls instead of going in at night like a bunch of bandits.

"Hey...Zuko..."

Zuko lifted his head to see Katara looking at him from the other side of the bison they were lying on. "Yeah...?" he replied groggily.

"Why...Why did June think we were together?"

Zuko blushed slightly, "Oh, uh, when I had your necklace, I had her help in finding you with it. I guess when she saw you, she mistook you for my girlfriend."

"Oh...where did you keep my necklace?"

"On my wrist. I never took it off."

"Oh. Thanks for keeping it safe," she finished.

"No problem,"he replied.

He turned over, facing away from her, his blush slowly melting away, but returning as she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

He slept much better that night.

0oOo0

Toph had just barely gotten her rock tent down when the gAang was surrounded by flames. Everyone awoke at once as four figures stood at the top of the Great Rubble of Na Sing Se (what Sokka nicknamed it before Katara waterbended a snowball to his forehead). King Bumi, Master Pakku, Master Piandao, and Master Jeong Jeong stood before them.

"Well look whose here!" Bumi laughed, snorting a few times. Sokka and Katara smiled to each other in relief and excitement as the rest of the gAang gave them puzzled looks.

o0O0o

Meanwhile, on a remote island, Aang was meditating on a strange type of Earth. He could bend the other elements, so he wasn't in the Spirit World, but for some reason, his earthbending was useless on this ground. He sat with his legs crossed and his tattoos glowing. In front of him, he seeked guidance from Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, and Avatar Kuruk. He needed their help because everyone was expecting to kill the Fire Lord when the Comet comes, but the monks taught him that all life is precious, and the teachings is all Aang has left of the monks, he didn't want to disrespect them. Especially what Monk Gyatso told him.

But his past lives were no help. They each say an Avatar has to do what s/he is needed to do. Finally, Aang decided to contact the air Avatar before him, Avatar Yangchen.

After "glowing-it-up," the last air Avatar appeared before Aang.

"I am Avatar Yangchen, young airbender," she introduced.

"Avatar Yangchen, the monks always taught me that all life is sacred," Aang began, "Even the life of the tiniest spider-fly caught in its own web!"

Yangchen nods in agreement, "Yes, all life is sacred."

"I know, I'm even a vegetarian," Aang replied proudly, "I've always tried to solve my problems by being quick or clever and I've only had to use violence for necessary defence and I've certainly never used it to take a life."

"Avatar Aang, I know that you're a gentle spirit and the monks have taught you well. But this isn't about you, this is about the World.

Aang protested almost angrily, "But the monks taught me that I had to detach myself from the World so my spirit could be free!"

Avatar Yangchen shook her head to explain something to the young, confused Avatar, "Many great and wise air nomads have detached themselves and achieved spiritual enlightenment but the Avatar can never do it because your sole duty is to the World. Here is my wisdom for you, selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the World."

Avatar Yangchen disappears in a puff of smoke. Aang rubs his forehead in calm fustration as Momo came to his comfort.

"I guess I have no choice Momo," Aang told his small friend, "I have to kill the Fire Lord."

o0O0o

"Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. My uncle hates me and I know it!"

Zuko and his friends made it past the "Great Rubble of Na Sing Se" to the White Lotus camp. Appearently, Iroh is in charge of the whole thing and is safely here in camp. Zuko wanted nothing more than to see his beloved uncle at once, but nervousness stopped him in front of the retired general's tent.

Instead of going inside, Zuko sat a safe distance outside his tent, and that's when Katara went to check if he was fine. As he spoke, he couldn't look at her as she sat beside him.

"He loved me and supported me in every way he could and I still turned against him," he said, his voice struggled to stay steady, "How can I even face him?"

"Zuko...you're sorry for what you did, right?"

"More sorry than I've ever been in my entire life."

"Then he'll forgive you, he will," she told him. He looked at her, still a tiny bit unsure, but thanks to her support, he got up, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and entered his uncle's tent.

"Uncle..." he started, but was interrupted with a loud snore. His eyes opened and he saw his lazy uncle lying on a mat. Lazy, heh. Zuko cracked a tiny smile and sat down, prepared to wait for him to wake up.

0OoO0

Aang woke up on the non-earthy ground with tiny Momo looking adorable in his sleep (**A/N: I seriously think he did**). Aang pushed himself off the ground and yawned. He noticed something in the distance of the horizon. Mountains, it seemed. And they were...moving?! No...the mountains weren't moving. Aang's island was!

Aang jumped, skipped and ran to the coast of the island and gasped as he saw a giant shadpw below him. He jumped into the water to investigate. The pressure of the water took it's toll when his ears uncomfortably popped, but he kept going. Suddenly, he felt the water move slightly and heard swishes underwater, like as if a rock is being pushed at full speed toward him. A unmistakinably reptillian claw appeared in Aang's blurry view. He nearly gasped, but didn't, remembering his position. He pushed upward to the surface and found Momo sitting patiently on a tree branch.

"It's amazing, Momo! The biggest animal in the world! I gotta swim around and find its face!"

Aang began paddling towards the direction the island was moving. He had to move up and catch his breath a couple of times, but he finally made it. He looked directly into the eye of the creature, which was about as big as Aang himself. The claw he saw earlier had appeared below him and pushed him up to reveal the creature'd actual face.

Aang reconized this creature from a book he read in Wan Shi Tong's Library. The oldest living animal in the world. He bowed respectfully to the great animal.

"A lion turtle."

Oo0oO

Iroh woke up and yawned. He noticed his nephew behind him, but didn't look at him. Zuko turned his head shamefully before he began. "Uncle...I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me, but I want you to know..." his voice cracked, reminding him of the year he was banished, he was still a young boy when that happened, and his uncle still stood by him, "I'm so, so sorry uncle...I'm so sorry and ashamed of what I did," tears ran down both of his cheeks and he shook his head in self anger, "I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you uncle, but I-"

He was cut off but his uncle pulling him into a warm hug, his shirt already getting a bit damp from his uncle's tears. "How could you forgive me so quickly?!" he asked, bewildered, "I thought you would be furious with me!"

"I was never angry with you," Iroh admitted, holding his nephew tighter, "I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way."

"I did loose my way," Zuko's voice strained as he admitted his mistake.

"But you found it!" Iroh stated proudly, pulling away from the embrace to look at his scarred nephew, "I am so happy you found your way here."

Iroh pulled Zuko into another embrace, "It wasn't that hard uncle, you have a really strong scent," he joked.

0OoO0

**A/N: God I'm a week late. This is Part I of III. Sozin's Comet holds so many Zutara secrets and I'm willing to find them all. For starters, The connection outside the tent, I still fangirl over that.**

**And seriously, who doesn't get a little emotional at Zuko and Iroh's reunion? A heartless non-avatard, that's who.**

**Part II is in the shops, and It will show my perspective of the Agni Kai, which always makes me cry. Seriously, I watched Sozin's Comet at my cousin's house and they called me out on the spot! I still cried!**

**I will update as soon as I can.**

**LOVE YOU FIRE LILIES!**

**-zutarianbelieber**


	14. Sozin's Comet Part II: Into The Inferno

**A/N: Every time I open up my weak wordpad application on my computer, I'm so excited to get started on a new chapter, especially my second-to-favorite one! This one is gonna be long, focusing on only Zuko and Katara. Aang will come in the next chapter, but in the meanwhile, grab your popcorn, drink your soda, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.**

**WARNING: If the Agni Kai makes you cry, hurry and read before you DIE! (Sorry, I just had to rhyme.)**

**Disclaimer: First I need to win the Agni Kai, then I get the show! But...I'm not a bender...**

0oOo0

The gAang...you know what? Aang's not here, let's just call them the gang...The GANG, sat around in a circle around a steaming pot of food at the White Lotus camp, eating rice and chicken like they usually do.

Zuko spoke up to say what everybody else was thinking, "Uncle, you're the only one who can possibly defeat the fatherlord."

Okay maybe not the last part, "you mean Fire Lord," Toph corrected.

Zuko seemed annoyed by her correction, "that's what I just said!"

Their about-to-begin arguement was interrupted by Iroh's sound of thought. Zuko spoke again, "We need you to come with us."

Iroh dropped his chopsticks and shook his head in rejection, "no Zuko, it won't turn out well."

Zuko tried to convince him otherwise, "you can beat him and we'll be there to help!"

Iroh raised an eyebrow, "even if I could defeat Ozai, and I don't know if I could, it would be the wrong way to win the war. History would see it as senseless violence, a brother killing a brother for power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat him."

Zuko thought for a moment. He knew his uncle was right, so that meant they had to find Aang. But if Iroh won't defeat Ozai..."And then... then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"

Iroh knew Zuko knew the answer, "No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour," he looked over to his nephew, who looked suprised despite himself, "It has to be you, Prince Zuko. "

"Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes,"

"Yes, you have," Iroh reasurred, "You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed your own path, you restored your own honour. And only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation.

The Fire Prince smiled a little, "I'll try, Uncle."

The moment broke when Toph spoke up, bringing up everyone's fears, "Well, what do we do if Aang doesn't come back?"

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord." Iroh spoke calmly, attempting to reassure the Avatar's worried friends, "When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se." he started the ancient story, "Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

Suki snapped her fingers, "that's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus!"

"Yes." Iroh turned to his nephew again, " Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order." His face turned serious, "But Azula will be there, waiting for you."

Zuko frowned, but spoke proudly and confidently, "I can handle Azula."

"Not alone. You'll need help." Iroh argued.

Zuko thought for a moment. He knew exactly who should come with him. Someone who he knew can help him bring Azula down, "You're right." He looks up, "Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

The second the words stumbled out of his mouth, he wasn't even sure if she would want to come at all. Since the Western Air Temple attack, they've been only been friends. The only time they've been closer was when Katara needed comfort. But his fears were proven pointless when she smiled mischievously. "It would be my pleasure."

o0O0o

Zuko and Katara were riding on the back of Appa to the Capital city when Sozin's Comet passed them.

Zuko had Appa's reins in his hand. He was a bit distracted with all thoughts in his mind. Can he really defeat his prodigy/psycopath of a sister? Will Aang come back? Can they defeat Ozai?

"Zuko, don't worry, we can take Azula!" Katara assured him, noticing his discomfort.

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take down my father?" he looked at her with worry in his eyes, "what if he loses?"

Katara's expression hardened, "Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back," she narrowed her eyes at him and turned her head away, "he has to."

Zuko turned his eyes back to the reddish sky streaked with the comet. Of course she would want to believe that. Zuko knew the realism of the situation. It is likely the young airbender won't defeat Ozai. He understood that he's a monk and he can't kill, but he has to do this or the world will burn to ashes.

Yet Katara knew this too.

Everytime he looked into those sapphire eyes, he always saw a silver of hope for the Avatar, no matter what.

So why is she confused?

And what is she confused about?

He never got an answer to that question.

0OoO0

Azula tied the red satin ribbon around her hair, putting it up in the usual bun, but this time, her front bangs were in a messy bunch. She banished all her servants and now she had to do her hair on her Fire Lord corination day and her father was off being this stupid Phoenix...King...guy while she stayed and struggled to look good on such a special occasion! Her finger got caught in the ribbion and after she got it out, she grabbed her golden scissors and glowered at her bangs.

"Alright hair, prepare to meet your doom!"

Her hair snipped to the floor with each vicious strike of the gold scissors. Her hair cut to a slant to the right. Suddenly, a figure morphed before the mirror.

"Such a shame...you always did have beautiful hair..."

Azula's maniac smile faded as she realized who it was.

"What are you doing here?"

"I didn't want to miss my own daugter's corrination."

Azula scowled at Ursa, her mother, who dissappeared almost 7 years ago. "Don't act like you're proud. I know what you really think of me...you think I'm a monster..."

"No, you're confused. All your life you used fear to control people. Like your friends, Mai and Ty Lee."

Azula nearly choked. Friends?! Mai and Ty Lee were both traders, making her think that they cared for her, helped her, but they betrayed her, choosing her brother's side instead of hers.

Just like her mother did.

"But what choice do I have?!" Azula shrieked in hysteria, "trust is for fools! Fear is the only reliable way!" her voice dropped to a mumble, "even you fear me."

"No. I _love_ you Azula, I do."

Azula had grey tears running from her closed-tight eyes. She gripped her hairbrush and clutched it at the mirror. Her mother is gone.

She sank to her knees and sobbed. Something she hasn't done since she was a little girl.

But why would she?

Crying is for the weak.

0OoO0

"By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lord..."

Pausing silence.

"What are you waiting for?! DO IT!"

Azula draws the eyeline of the Fire Sages behind her and sees the Avatar's bison on the horizon of the blood sky. For a second, she thought the Avatar came for her, but alas, she saw a speck of red and blue on the saddle.

Zuko.

When the bison touched down, her brother stood from the head. "Sorry, but you're not becoming Fire Lord today," he jumped down from Appa, "I am."

While the Sages gaped in horror, Azula just laughed. "You're hilarious!"

The water tribe peasant, Katara, stood beside him, "and you're going down!"

Otherwise, The Sages still moved to crown Azula, but she held her hand up as if to say wait. The Princess stood, her silky cape following her movement "You want to be Fire Lord Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be... " She smiled deviously, "Agni Kai!"

Without hesitation, Zuko replied, "You're on."

The Princess smirked evily.

Katara looked at Zuko with shock. "What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take us both so she is trying to separate us!"

"I know," he said simply, "but I could take her this time."

"But you even admitted to you're uncle that you'll need help facing her!"

"There's something off about her," he narrowed his eyes, "I can't explain it but she's slipping. And this way, no one else has to get hurt."

Katara was hesitant for a moment, but then nodded her head.

_I have faith in you. Just don't die. _

080

Azula and Zuko faced away from each other on opposite sides of the courtyard. Slowly, they stood, Azula's cape traces her movement as she stands. She clips it off and drops it to the ground lazily, "I'm sorry it was to end this way, brother!"

Zuko glowers as he takes his stance, "No you're not,"

"I know, just something that needs to be said."

She crookedly takes her stance, and almost by suprise, she spins off blue fire from her tightly clenched fists. Zuko counters by bringing his arms down together to his knees, deflecting it perfectly.

Azula wouldn't back down though. Insanely and uncontrollably, she started jabbing and kicking metallic blue fire toward him.

The siblings fight back and foward. Orange and blue collide in giant bursts and explosions. Katara has never seen so much fire. The color blue was always a comforting color for her, reminding her of home, but now, it was a color that represented an insane princess.

Zuko blasted fire out of his fists just as Azula did the same. The fire smashed together, slipping to the sides of each other. Even in the great glow, Katara could see his foot slipping into the inferno.

Luckily, their attacks stop at the same time. The fire swirled behind them. Azula's insane gold eyes looked behind her to the plaza, watching her royal propery burn. She firebended a blue wall of fire toward Zuko, but he spun around and pushed the flames aside, causing the flames to subside like ocean waves.

For once, Katara noticed something in the battling royals. Zuko was more calm, and steady, ready to take on the attacks his sister brought, and reacted to them with much focus, while Azula just fought, never taking a moment to think or even adjust herself. Was this the true meaning of firebending? Is this what the dragons taught Aang and Zuko? Not only is his bending powerful already with the comet, he has the knowledge of real firebending. Azula merely has skill, which won't get her too far in this fight.

Fire arcs, whips, walls and even wheels spun and burned the plaza, although they had to admit, along with the glow of the fire, comet and fighting flames, the plaza glowed beautifully as orangy red and blue colors mingle to vivacious colors. But everyone knew it can't and won't last forever.

Azula jets toward her brother, punching her way through. As she circles him and her attacks continue, Zuko kicks and spins, causing a sphere around him to protect himself, shooting fireblasts to her, but she's too fast to hit. After her attacks cease, he stops shooting fire blasts , crouches on the ground, and performs several spinning sweep kicks, creating a powerful ring of fire that expands outward. He wasn't sure, but his sister seemed scared.

But...

Why would she be scared?

Meanwhile, Azula tries to stop herself, but she's too late. One of Zuko's rings hit the fire that propelled her, causing it to break, sending her rolling across the ground. She gets up, breathing heavily. Her shiny eyes seemed to be cracking as she glares at her brother.

"No lightning today?! What's the matter?! Afraid I'll redirect it?!" Zuko yelled, taking another stance.

Azula gasped in between breaths, "Oh, I'll show you LIGHTNING! ! ! ! ! !"

Azula began making lightning in her fingertips, florishing this way and that, twisting and bending the splintery element. Katara was reminded of her own element. Zuko refreshed his stance with a deep breath, preparing to take in as much as he can.

Azula continued the florish and finally stopped. Even with the lightning glowing around her face, Katara saw her eyes flicker towards her.

At last second, Azula extended her arms, toward Katara.

Zuko saw the lightning's path and his mind stopped working, but his body hasn't. As Katara stood there, frozen with horror, he began to run.

Katara, in the meanwhile, could only watch as the great beam of light came straight towards her. Suddenly, she heard someone yell, "NO! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !" and a dark figure came into her view. Taking in the lightning, she saw Zuko jump into the path of the lightning.

Then and there, time seemed to slow down, Zuko's body taking in the energy.

He fell to the ground with a thud. She heard her own voice scream out his name, and felt her body working again to come to his rescue, but was stopped again by blue fire.

Azula cackled evily and couldn't stand striaght. Zuko was right, she's slipping.

But she won't stop Katara from getting to Zuko.

_I have faith in you. Please don't die._

oO0Oo

**A/N: And on that cliffhanging note, we are down to our last chapter! Wow, I can't believe it! It seems like only yesterday this story was just an idea and you people had no idea who I was. Well, this story will come to a close, but Part II will be coming soon! The name is still being determined and the storyline still needs to be mapped out and connected, but it will come out!**

**And with that, this is zutarianbelieber, signing off.**

**SEE YOU FIRE LILIES! **


	15. Sozin's Comet Part III: Crystal Fire

**A/N: Okay, it's finally here. The longest (really really long, btw) and final chapter of Not One Of Us. Everything is in place, the Zutara-ness at a new high, the comedy relief is awesome, so let's get started!**

**DISCLAIMER: It finally dawned to me that I will ever not ever own the show.**

Oo0oO

Zuko layed face down with dying flames surrounding him. He slowly tried to get up, wincing in his attempt.

Katara gasped and began to run toward him, a water-healing glove on her hand, ready to take action, but spilled to the ground when Azula shot a giant fireball in front of her, so close to burning her to a crisp. Katara began to get away, trying to dodge Azula's attacks, trying to get her as far away from Zuko as possible, so she won't deliever a final blow.

Katara didn't notice it, but Zuko tried hard to help her, trying to reach out to her and protect her, but his attempts are useless. He felt his eyes start to sting as Azula's lightning barely missed Katara, sending her to the ground.

Azula firebends herself to the roof of the plaza and charges up another bolt, shouting, "I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zuzu if you don't mind!"

Katara suddenly spots a watercase, filled with enough water to supress a couple of Azula's attacks. Azula sends out the lightning charge just as Katara waterbends a giant protective wave over herself, which, when in contact with the lightning, evaporates immedietly.

"You kniw, blocking the attack of someone who is trying to kill you is very RUDE!" Azula shrieks with a cackle, sending two flares of blue lightning off her fists.

_She's insane!_ Katara's mind shrieked.

_Oh, you again, _Katara thought.

_Yes, me! Now go!_

_No! I have to save Zuko! I can't just leave him to die!_

Suprisingly, Katara was able to attack Azula and argue with her mind at the same time! Azula continuously shot at her until she crouched behind a pillar. She leaned back and stood up, eyeing Zuko, who layed about 20 feet away, a stone's throw, really.

_See? I knew this guy meant something to you!_

_Shut up!_

"Zuzu! You don't look so good!" Azula screams. Katara saw her meniacly laughing on the rooftop.

_You know what I just thought of right now?_

_What?_

_Where is Aang?_

0OoO0

Aang's fight with the Fire Lord had already begun.

While the Fire Lord showed impressive Firebending, Aang's knowledge with all four elements helped with this fight. Earth bullets, Ice shards, air slices and even fireballs were shot at the Firelord, but were deflected by Comet-Enhanced firebending.

Aang tried his best, he really did, but he ended up hiding withing a sphere rock in front of a gigantic pillar of rock. Fire Lord...excuse me, Phoenix King Ozai, battled the rock, trying to get to Aang.

So far, Aang was holding off good, but unfortunately, he didn't think he could go on much longer.

He's sweating buckets from the heat of the fire outside of him.

He just hopes his friends are still there to help him.

O0o0O

Sokka, Suki and Toph were in one of Ozai's aircrafts, preparing to take them down so they won't harm the Earth Kingdom or Aang.

It was Sokka's brilliant "airship slice" that helped them achieve success.

Unfortunately, Suki was lost. They didn't know where she was, or if she was still alive.

Luckily, Toph was able to metalbend one of the airship's wings, causing a spiral to the airship. But their success quickly became a downfall. Literally.

Toph and Sokka fell to one of the other airships where a firebender would stand.

Toph fell throught the U-shaped hole in the standing, holding onto Sokka's arm, while Sokka, who had just injured his leg, stays on the standing, holding onto Toph so she won't fall.

"Hang on Toph!" he yells.

"Aye aye captain," she says calmly.

The firebenders from the other airships come to attack. Two of them stand on the other standings, prepared to attack.

Sokka looks to them left and right, reaching for his weapons.

"I'm getting a promotion!" yells one of them as he starts to firebend.

"NOT TODAY!" Sokka yells, grabbing his space sword and throwing it at the soldier. The standing is sliced and the man realizes he's lucky the harness keeps him from falling to his death.

"Bye space sword," Sokka muttered, watching his meteorite blade fall to the ground, never to be seen again. Then, he grabbed his trusty boomerang and threw it at the other soldier.

Two down. Five to go.

Toph was slipping from Sokka's grip. "I don't think boomerang is comming back Toph, it looks like this is the end." She knew this and began to tear up, her eyes stinging with the fire's heat.

Suddenly, the soldiers began to run away! Another airship crashed into the one they were on. Toph and Sokka fell on it safely. Well, except for Sokka. He injured his leg pretty bad, and held it in agony.

Toph was happy to be able to "see" again, but how did this happen? "What happened?" she asked, "did boomerang come back?"

"No!" Sokka said, looking up to find the girl in his life, and who also saved it, "Suki did!"

oO0Oo

Katara finally found some more water.

She waterbended the other watercase dry, trying to get Azula, but when she realized she wasn't on the roof anymore, Katara lost the touch. Suddenly, Azula was behind her, so quickly she had arrived, she barely noticed her, but lucky she did in time.

She controlled a large wave, which she surfed across the courtyard as Azula began evaporating the ends.

Katara had barely run out of water when she fell on top of a stormdrain.

A stormdrain!

And, what's that on the door?

A loose chain.

Perfect.

Katara grabbed the chain and waited. Out of nowhere, like the Slenderman, Azula had arrived.

"THERE YOU ARE FILTHY PEASANT!" she yelled in hysteria.

The two benders eyed each other, glaring and piercing each other with their eyes. Out of nowhere, Katara whipped out six waterwhips, which Azula dodged easily.

Right on top of the stormdrain.

Azula was preparing another attack to end the waterbender, the final blow...-

_FREEZE._

Azula and Katara were both frozen in an iceberg, Azula's two fingers pointing toward Katara, who had her arms up, proving that she froze them.

Just then, the waterbender blew out through her nose, defrosting herself to chain Azula's hands together, pulling her down to her knees to the drain. After she was good and chained, Katara unfroze the water, causing both of them to gasp for air.

Katara tightened the chains a little more before running to Zuko, who was still lying face-down.

She helped him flip over, holding on to the back of his head before he went completely limp.

Katara wasted no time. She got her water back into a glove and put it over the star-shaped scar on his abdomen. This wasn't going to be easy. Azula hit his sea of chi, and it was very painful to him, but she wasn't going to loose him. She can't and she won't.

Like she lost Jet.

She focused as hard as she could, the water glowing bright blue, but Zuko's eyes didn't open. He didn't move.

Katara kept trying, but he wouldn't wake up.

She began to cry. It was hopeless.

She put her hands on the back of his head again and held him, cradling him as if he was something precious, which he was. She touched his forehead with hers and began to sob quietly. She could feel Azula's eyes on her, her grin wide with pride.

Katara stayed in this position for a long time. How long, she didn't know, but she just hoped it won't end. A tear fell from her cheek as she whispered, "I have faith in you. Promise you won't die. Promise me you won't leave me"

Just as the tear slipped off her cheek, she heard his weak, ragged whisper, "I promise..."

She pulled back and saw his golden eyes shine again. Those eyes. The eyes the color of melted fire. His smile, so rare and beautiful, like a flower. A panda lily. Black and white panda lily, like yin and yang.

"Thank you, Katara" he whispered weakly.

She hugged him so tight, and she never wanted to let go. "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you."

She pulled back and brushed a stray piece of hair from his face, helping him stand up.

Once he was on his feet again, they stood there in silence, gold and blue eyes meeting, never wanting to break apart. Zuko leaned closer to her, getting so close their breath mingled. They closed their eyes and...-

" H! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !"

They two pairs of eyes opened to see the Fire Princess finally break.

Azula shrieks and struggles uselessly against the chains. Tears spring to her eyes and she becan to sob uncontrolably, spitting fire from her mouth. She finally falls to her back, slowing her crying to wimpers.

Katara couldn't imagine how Zuko is feeling. With one hand on his back, she closes her eyes, not bearing to see the princess like this. If she can't, how can he handle this?

She looks up at him. He is expressionless, one arm holding her, the other over his scar. Not the one on his eye, the new one on his chest.

She lead him away from the scene and into the palace so she can heal him a little more. Even with an advanced healer like her, his sea of chi will take some time to heal.

o0O0o

Ozai broke though Aang's shield of rock. Aang airbended himself another smaller shield, which pushed him back. Right into a stray, sharp rock on the pillar behind him.

The rock hit his lightning scar from Ba Sing Se. Everything seemed to be a big blur after that. He saw the previous Avatars, his body each of the times he went into the Avatar State, Monk Gyatso making fruit pie, then he saw Katara, but at the moment she released him from the iceberg. He saw Sokka, Toph, Zuko and many of his other friends from the Southern Air Temple. Then everything went black.

"Come on out, little boy," he heard the Phoenix King taunt, "you're about to be..."

Suddenly, a hand shot out from the pile of rocks Aang was buried in and grabbed his long beard. Aang revealed his face, his eyes and arrow tattoos glowing a brilliant white. He jumped from the pile, still gripping Ozai's beard, who tried to burn him with a firebended hand, but Aang quickly moved his hand to the side, deflecting the attack, also proving how powerful the attack was, sending the flames about 50 feet into the air.

Ozai watched his flames rise, and then turned his attention back to Aang, who was preparing an awesome airbending move, sending the Phoenix King about 30 feet back, into another pillar.

Aang decided to show what a fully-realized Avatar can do! He roared like a tiger-dillo, sending flames flying from his arms, legs and mouth, looking like a star. This was a move Zuko had taught him. The flames shape around him in a protective sphere. Next, boulders arose from their resting place alongside Aang, who was surrounded by fire and air. Aang clentched his fists, shrinking the boulders to the right size, adding them to his protection. Lastly, he streamed water from the ocean, collecting it into his shield.

He looked amazing. All four elements together around the Avatar.

Ozai's attempts to take him down were hopeless. Even the biggest fireballs he could produce were taken down by small streams of water, bursting it from the inside to a brilliant defeat.

But this fight isn't over yet.

0OoO0

Katara sat by Zuko's large bed, taking a rest from healing.

He was asleep at this time luckily, so his pain won't be bothering him. She was glad he was okay and... well, alive!

She took him inside the palace where the healers took him in, but she insisted she would help. Healing him was exhausting, but worth it.

He saved her life by risking his own. Why would he do that?

Just then, his eyes began to flutter and he awoke.

"Hey," he said weakly.

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Still hurts a little, but a bit better," he replied.

"Good," she said before smacking him in the head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" he said, rubbing his head where she had hit him.

"Why would you do that?"

"What?"

"Take a lightning bolt for me? Why would you do that?"

"Oh, that."

"Yes that! Why?"

Zuko looked down at his hands for a second before struggling to sit up on his pillows. He looked at her straight in the eyes, which were full of concern and confusion. "Honestly...I'm not so sure myself. My mind seemed to stop working and my body moved itself."

"No," she said simply, "you have a reason, you're just not telling me."

He sighed in defeat. She knows him too well. "Fine. I just couldn't imagine life without you. I mean, I know I didn't even know you about a year ago, but now that I do, it seems as if I can't live without you."

Katara's face was frozen and expressionless. "But...I thought you had a girlfriend. I heard you talk about her during some campfires at the Air Temple."

Zuko vaguely remembered it, but he does recall it. He didn't remember what he said about Mai, but she was in his thoughts. "Yeah, I think I do," he says.

"What does that mean?"

"It's complicated, I don't know, but right now I'm just feeling a little..."

"Confused," Katara finished for him, remembering her own words to Aang back in the Ember Island theatre. Zuko smiled weakly and sadly. "You heard us."

"Only a little," he lied.

She looked away, tears back in her eyes. Just then, she felt a warm hand cover her own. She looked back to Zuko, who had a faint smile haunting his lips. "I can't be with you," she said.

Any hint of a smile on Zuko's face faded. "I know," he sighed.

"It's just that...we both have someone else who loves us, and we can't just leave them like this."

"I understand,"

"You do?"

"Yeah...I just don't want to be selfish with you and have something to regret."

Katara's eyes fell to their links hands. Then she looked back and him. She didn't realize she was leaning forward until he said, "What are you doing?"

But she didn't back down. Instead, she brings up her other hand to his scarred cheek, "my body is moving itself."

Before she knew it, her lips were on his.

They were soft and warm, almost caressing.

Even though the kiss was chaste, it held every emotion they felt about each other. Hatred, fear, confusion, regret, wanting, passion and something else they both can't identify, but it was nice and comforting.

Katara was the first to back down. She slowly opened her eyes, her lips still warm with the lingering feel of his. She didn't let go of his hand, but merely just sat there, stroking his hair.

Zuko merely layed stunned, still a bit suprised by her action, but feeling abnormally happy. He smiled softly, "I...I guess it doesn't feel so bad to have something to regret."

Katara smiled at him, "just shut up and go back to sleep. I'll be back to heal you again in a moment," she said, starting to get up. Zuko smirked and kissed her hand. She blushed and left his room, but instead of going to get some fresh healing water, she leaned against the wall, blushing furiously but feeling very guilty.

She found Aang in that iceberg less than a year ago and she knew that she was destined to be with him when he kissed her during the invasion. She has a duty to him and Zuko has a duty to another girl, but Zuko...

She can't be selfish. She belongs to Aang. Maybe...

o0O0o

Aang chases the Phoenix King, who was flying with jets of fire from his hands.

Ozai dodged almost every obstacle that Aang threw at him. Almost. Aang was in full control of every movement he made and every element be bent.

After a lot more chasing, Aang was finally close enough to strike.

He used a stream of water to grab Ozai's leg, encasing his body as well, and push him down onto a pillar, soaking him entirely with that small but powerful stream.

It represented Aang himself.

With Ozai down, Aang earthbended the pillar to elcose his hands and feet.

Aang began to speak with the incredible and awesome voice of all the past Avatars, "Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world, and now you shall pay the ultimate price!"

Aang makes a weaving motion across his body. A stream of fire interlaced with water, air and rocks extend out like a snake. Ozai closes his eyes and braces for his own demise.

Suddenly, Aang's tattoos and eyes stop glowing. He gently settles down on the pillar as Ozai is released.

"No," Aang speaks normally and calmly, "I won't end it like this."

"Even with all the power in the world..." Ozai growls, "you're still WEAK!"

As he begins to move to attack, Aang uses Toph's style of earthbending to sense his vibrations. He kicks a stone up behind himself, catching Ozai's clentched fist. He moves as swiftly as the airbender he is, catpuring Ozai's hands and bringing him down in front of him.

He places his thumb on Ozai's forehead and his palm on his chest and breaths. This is going to take much energy...

With much focus, Aang's eyes begin to glow the same brilliant blue radiance of the Avatar state, but this time, Ozai's eyes began to glow too, but a dangerous fire orange. Their eyes' radiance spread to their bodies, meeting in the middle. The bright colors spread throughout the entire land.

Aang could hear the Lion Turtle guiding him, "To bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed."

Ozai's orange light began to crawl up Aang, eliminating the blue light in the proccess. His energy crawled to Aang's arms, chest, head and covered one eye, leaving the other a strained light.

Just as the light was fading from the remaining eye, the blue light burst brilliantly, deleting all the orange light left.

The light burst amazingly through the sky and finally faded. Ozai's limbs were released and he fell to the ground exhausted. Aang stumbled a bit, but got up, high and proud.

Ozai tried to firebend, but merely fell to the ground. "W-what did you do to me?"

"I took away you're firebending, you won't be able to use it to harm or threaten anyone anymore."

Aang looked to the sky and saw an airship coming and it knew it contained some of his friends. But there was something that he saw that seriously bothered him...

Oo0oO

Katara awoke from a refreshing sleep. She lifted her head from the pillow she was sleeping on and wiped her eyes sleppily as she saw the first streaks of sunlight reach the windows. She had fallen asleep on the chair she was sitting on while she was healing Zuko, and she must've fallen asleep from exhaustion. Suprisingly, Zuko wasn't awake yet, but he began to stir a little. She smiled to herself and left the room quietly.

Even with the giddiness and knowing that Aang's fine and alive and he won, she can't help but feel hollow.

Later that day, Katara wrapped some bandages around Zuko's torso over his lightning scar.

"So...you think we can still be friends?" he said suddenly. Katara looked up at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

Katara put her focus back on the bandages, "well, maybe it'll be a bit awkward now, but there's no reason that we should be like this for the rest of our lives. I mean, I have Aang and you have..."

"Mai. That's her name,"

"Yeah, her." She looked up at him and touched his scar, "look Zuko. Yesterday was...nice and I didn't mind it, but we both know we can't be together." She continued to wrap his scar.

"So... we just pretend yesterday didn't happen."

Katara paused for a moment hesitantly, but replied, "sure. Yesterday didn't happen."

She finished up the last of his wrappings and smiled, "so, you should get ready for your corrination, Fire Lord Zuko."

he chuckles, "it does have a ring to it, doesn't it?"

She laughed and left the room, not noticing the dark figure lurking behind her.

o0O0o

Zuko winces as he tries to get the heavy robes over his sore body. A mere stretch of his arm sends jabs of pain across his body.

"You need some help with that?"

Zuko turns around a little startled, but relieved to see a girl there, "Mai! You're okay! They let you out of prison?" Okay, he knew it wasn't the best thing to say, but he couldn't filter his words before they slipped.

"My uncle pulled some strings," she says as she helps Zuko put the robe on, "and it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend."

"So does this mean you don't hate me anymore?"

She blushes, "I think it means... I actually kind of like you." She cups Zuko's unscarred cheek and leans in for a kiss. They part a few seconds later, looking into each other's eyes happily. Suddenly, Mai turns serious and jabs a finger into his chest, "But don't ever, break up with me, again!"

Zuko smiles embarrased and pulls her in for an embrace, closing his eyes.

But when he opened them, he briefly catches something blue move away from the doorframe, and immediately, he knew who it was.

He looks down at the girl in his arms, momentarily wishing it was the girl with the crystal-blue eyes.

Those beautiful, shiny eyes, that looked so sad the last he saw them.

0oOo0

Zuko placed a tea cup in front of his uncle, who is playing the tsungi horn beautifully. They smile at each other briefly before Zuko continued to give tea to the other members of the gAang...and Mai.

Toph accepted a cup and relaxed in her chair in her new Earth Kingdom clothes. Zuko moved onto where Suki and Mai were playing Pai Sho. He offered a cup to Katara and she accepted it with a smile.

"ZUKO! STOP MOVING!" They all look up in suprise to Sokka, who was sitting on a desk with a parchelment and ink brush, "I'm trying to capture the moment," his face softened, "I wanted to do a painting, so we always remember the good times together."

Katara strode over to him,"That's very thoughtful Sokka," she took a look at his "masterpiece". Hang on... "Wait! Why did you give me Momo's ears?"

On the picture was a crude drawing of a waterbending Katara with "floopy ears". Toph looks like the drawing from her wanted poster in that Fire Nation village, Zuko has long spiky hair that stuck up. He is drawn next to an angry Mai. Further to the right, Sokka is depicted thrusting his sword into the air behind Suki, who seems to be...firebending?

"Those are your hair loopies!" Sokka protested.

"At least you don't look like a boarcupine! My hair is not that spiky!" Zuko repined.

Mai had a comment as well, "I look like a man." (**A/N: Haha, yes you do Mai.**)

Suki joined in, "Why did you paint me firebending?"

"I thought it would look more exciting that way!" Sokka recalled.

Aang chuckled to himself and got up from the floor where he was sitting, walking over to the balcony. He patted Appa on the way outside and marveled at the view of the beautiful Ba Sing Se.

"Hey! My belly's not that big anymore!" Iroh objected, "I really slimmed down."

"Well," Toph threw her hands up in the air, "I think you all look perfect!"

Everyone laughed t Toph's joke.

Katara noticed Aang outside and seemed to hesitate to join him. Zuko noticed her hesitation and pulled her away for a moment. They said no words as Zuko put a beautiful pink flower in her hair, which he picked up from a nearby table. Katara blushed and hugged him briefly. Then he pulled away and began to walk over to Mai as Katara headed out to the balcony.

Katara places a hand on Aang's shoulder and they embrace. Aang seemed a bit relieved holding Katara. They part and look at the sunset. Katara looks out for just a moment, then she looks to Aang again. She leans in for a kiss and Aang deepens it just as he captures her lips.

When they enter the tea shop again, everyone seemed to be happy for them (except for Toph, who had to pay Suki five gold pieces.)

But for the smallest of moments, Katara noticed two orbs looking at her from a distance away.

The thing is, those orbs resembled melted fire.

_**-*~**__**The End of Part I**__**~*-**_

**A/N: YAY! IT'S FINALLY OVER!**

**Sorry to end it on such a sad note, but it was awesome, right?**

**It's really amazing how I found so many moments to add in!**

**I want to make a few acknowledgements:**

**Thanks a bunch to River WolfGirl and Almighty Taco for reviewing every chapter and making me even more excited to write.**

**Thanks to Mrs. Pettyfer, Like a Dove, and akiko-dono, for making such awesome fanfiction and giving me the best inspiration and helping me see the show in a whole new way!**

**Thanks to my mom, who let me spend so much time on the computer to write! LOL, love you mom!**

**This is the last time I'll be writing an Author's Note until Part II. The next chapter will be an epilogue, which will contain no note. Just know that I love writing to you and I appreciate every single one of you. I'll see you all in Part II.**

**LOVE YOU FIRE LILIES!**

**-zutarianbelieber (renamed: Misplaced Avatar)**


	16. Epilogue (NOT THE BEST)

Zuko stood nervously in the dark in front of the door and hesitantly knocked on it. A few seconds later, Katara answered the door to her bedroom and seemed a bit suprised to see him there.

"Hi Zuko, what brings you here at 2 in the morning?" she asked rubbing her eyes sleepily, but even with her tired tone, Zuko could hear her masked pain.

"Uh. I couldn't sleep," he said. It wasn't entirely a lie.

"Well, is it your scar?" she asked politely.

"Yeah, I think it hurts a little," he lied entirely this time.

"Okay, well, let's get you healed some more," she said as she closed the door behind her to lead him to his room.

When they got to a turning point in the hallway, Zuko led Katara to the other way. "Where are you going?" she asked confused, "your room is the other way."

"Yeah, we're not going to my room," he answered, "I want to show you something."

They walked down the dark hallway to the outside part of the palace. Katara was amazed and awestruck at the beautiful place he took her. It was a little pond that shimmered in the full, bright moon. A tree hung over the pond, setting the perfect shade for the pond. And lastly, a little hut with only a ceiling and a fence around it. Under the rocks around the pond, she could see turtle ducks, a mother and her ducklings, sleeping peacefully. She smiled at the sight.

"Zuko...this place is..."

"My mother used to bring me here all the time," he interrupted, "she used to feed the turtle ducks with me." He walked over to the pond and looked down at his reflection, "she told me never to forget who I was. Now I know what she meant."

Katara walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "you must really miss her," she said as she wiped away a tear on her face. Zuko nodded, holding the hand on his shoulder and turning to her. She lifted her hand to touch his face, and when she did, he leaned in gently over her soft touch. Hesitantly, she began to speak again, "my mother used to show me the constellations in the sky."

He smiled, "yeah, I remember you told me. Back in the Air Temple." She smiled at her own unrealization. "That's why I brought you out here," he continued, "I want to spend your last moments here with you. Can you show me the shapes in the sky again?"

She smiled sadly and nodded her head. They sat under the limping tree by the pond and looked at the stars.

"...When dawn began to break, they both retreated to their own rooms, but not before sharing one last kiss,"

"A kiss?"

"Yes. A kiss that wasn't better than the last. It was full of sadness and wanting. Zuko hoped that he would see those two-blue eyes again, but he won't."

"Ever again?"

"Well..."

"Well what?! Will they see each other again? Will they fall in love?! Will they be separated forever?!"

"Now, you'll find that out tomorrow, won't you?"

"Oh c'mon! Please tell me! PLEASE!"

"Nope, it's time to go to bed."

"Okay. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight."


End file.
